Neighbors:
Today I joined with Vice President Marilyn Balcombe and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles to announce a multi-pronged approach regarding data center legislation. As you know, the future of data centers in Montgomery County has been a major point of interest for residents.
In June, County Executive Marc Elrich announced an executive order imposing a six-month moratorium on data center development in Montgomery County. Following extensive discussion and public input, Vice President Balcombe, Councilmember Sayles and I sent a letter to our colleagues proposing a plan to allow additional space and time to develop comprehensive safeguards on hyperscale data centers. In addition to the executive order, we support enacting legislation to codify the moratorium.
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We are taking up several data center measures next week that will help enact a moratorium and establish comprehensive safeguards on hyperscale data centers.
The Economic Development (ECON) Committee, which I chair, will meet next Wednesday, July 22, to review two data center moratorium bills (Bill 19-26 and Bill 24-26). If the committee favors one of the bills, it will proceed to full Council for a work session and action on Tuesday, July 28.
Also on July 22, the Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will review the Data Center Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-01, which would establish clear definitions and limitations on data centers. The PHP Committee will review an amendment, put forth by Vice President Balcombe, Councilmember Sayles and myself, that would prohibit hyperscale data centers in all zones. The amended measure will serve as a bridge between the current zoning ordinance and the future ZTA that will comprehensively address all the complex issues.
I will continue to provide regular updates as the Council works through the legislative process on these important measures.
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Sincerely,
Natali Fani-González
Council President
Read the original article at mcgov