BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The City of Birmingham is moving forward with plans to temporarily pause the development of data centers as leaders work to better understand the potential impact of such facilities.
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday set a public hearing to consider a temporary moratorium on data centers. The hearing will take place Jan. 13, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
City officials said they have already received recommendations from the Office of the City Attorney and the Planning, Engineering and Permits Department. Leaders emphasized the need to fully examine everything involved when a developer brings a data center proposal into a neighborhood — from environmental strain to energy use and economic impact…