BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — The Birmingham City Council has approved a temporary six-month moratorium on new data center projects within the city limits. This decision halts the acceptance or approval of applications for the construction, expansion, or establishment of data centers in Birmingham.
City leaders explained that the pause is intended to allow Birmingham to reassess how data centers fit into the city’s long-term planning and growth. During the moratorium, city departments will review zoning and land-use rules, study best practices from other cities, and consider updates to better address infrastructure demands, land use, and neighborhood compatibility.
The decision places a temporary block on any new facilities requiring more than 20 megawatts of power from moving forward, a significant threshold, as just one megawatt can supply roughly 1,000 homes…