During a public hearing on May 19, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted to implement a 10-month moratorium on new data center developments or rezoning in the county. The moratorium does not affect land that is already designated for data centers under a Planned Development, provided they are located at least 1,500 feet from any dwelling.
Commissioner Rachel Zenzinger stated, “It’s critical for us to evaluate how data centers will interact with the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), our water supply, the environment and our community’s overall health.” The WUI area refers to regions where development meets undeveloped wildland, raising fire risk concerns.
Planning Manager Russell Clark mentioned that county staff will use this period to assess how other communities handle the increasing demand for data centers. The moratorium will allow commissioners to weigh environmental concerns against potential economic benefits. Commissioner Lesley Dahlkemper said, “While we recognize the potential job growth of a new data center, commissioners must weigh the impact on our community.”
This action highlights a growing trend as communities nationwide address the effects of data centers on infrastructure, environmental resources, and public health. Commissioner Andy Kerr commented, “There’s an increase in demand for data centers, but modern-day data centers come with a variety of considerations.”
Similar moratoriums have been enacted in various cities and counties across the country, including Denver.
The primary source was jeffco.us.