Read, Watch or Listen

Charlotte this week enacted a 150-day moratorium after the City Council voted unanimously Monday night to pause new data center construction. Council member Dimple Ajmera said the pause "gives us the time that we need to do our homework," adding that the 150-day break can prevent years of unintended consequences. Officials cited the rapid growth of windowless facilities tied to the AI boom, projects sited next to homes and in Uptown, and recent neighborhood opposition including American Tower's rezoning for an up to 40,000-square-foot center in east Charlotte. Per state law the moratorium will not apply to projects already underway, such as those with valid building permits or developments for which substantial expenditures have been made in good faith, city attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite said; that exemption includes the first phase of the PowerHouse Charlotte campus in University City. City planning staff will study impacts including electricity costs, water use, environmental effects, noise, aesthetics and siting, while other North Carolina jurisdictions, from Durham (60 days) to Chatham County (one year), have also paused approvals to review rules.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.