WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD (July 1, 2026) – On June 30, 2026, the Washington County Board of County Commissioners approved a temporary, twelve (12) month moratorium on the acceptance, processing, reviewing and approval of applications, plans, or requests for data centers within Washington County. 

    Washington County adopted the moratorium with a vote of 4-1 to provide the County with sufficient time to develop policies, performance standards, and zoning regulations which will be the foundation that guides future proposals. This time will also be used to evaluate the potential impacts of large-scale data center facilities in Washington County. Data center development has become a regional and national topic of interest; and, the potential impacts associated with these contemporary data center facilities are not specifically addressed in existing County zoning regulations. These discussions need to take place before permit applications are made in Washington County. To advance public health, safety and welfare, the Board desires to obtain additional information and during the moratorium period, the County will:

    • Conduct research and evaluate the potential impacts of data center development on environmental resources, utilities, local infrastructure, and land use compatibility.
    • Engage residents, stakeholders, and subject matter experts in discussions regarding data center development, associated opportunities and challenges.
    • Review and consider text amendments to the County’s Zoning Ordinance and other applicable regulations which will establish applicable standards for future proposals.

    Data centers are facilities that consist of one or more buildings used primarily for the storage, management, processing, and transmission of large amounts of digital data and which houses computing infrastructure, such as, computers, network equipment, systems, servers, appliances, and other associated components related to digital data operations. Data centers can require significant amounts of land, water and electricity and may have implications for local infrastructure. Other concerns raised during the meeting surround potential environmental impacts, including hazardous material storage and electronic waste disposal, noise generation from cooling systems and backup generators, and land use compatibility in agricultural, residential districts. 

    The moratorium was approved to provide the County with adequate time to thoroughly study this emerging technology and land use potential. This moratorium will also provide the County with time to adequately determine how future data center proposals, if any, can be evaluated for consistency with Washington County community goals and long-term planning objectives.

    The moratorium is not intended to permanently prohibit data center development.  The moratorium became effective immediately upon adoption and will remain in effect for twelve (12) months unless modified or extended by a majority vote of the Washington County Board of County Commissioners. You can watch the most recent County Commissioner meeting here:
    June 30, 2026 BOCC Meeting
    For additional information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations and Marketing Department at 240-313-2380.
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