A Baltimore County Council bill that would impose a nearly yearlong moratorium on new data centers has bipartisan support and is likely to pass when the seven-member body formally considers the plan next month.
The measure, introduced by Councilman Pat Young, a Catonsville Democrat and county executive candidate, would pause data center construction permits until Jan. 1, 2027. It also would require the county’s Planning Board to submit a report to the council summarizing permitting of data centers throughout the state and assessing average public electricity and water usage.
The board’s report also would recommend ways to mitigate increased demand for electricity and water from data centers and outline where data centers can be built. It also would include potential changes to zoning regulations, data center permitting requirements, community notice and outreach requirements, and whether data centers should be eligible for county money or tax credits.
Young said his legislation is a “responsible way” to consider data center development in the county, noting that such facilities commonly place heavy demands on local water and energy systems. Six of the seven council members have signed on as bill cosponsors.
The proposal follows the disclosure several months ago about tentative plans to build a 42-acre, 150-megawatt data center in a former Social Security Administration building in Woodlawn. The property is owned by Security Land and Development Company, a limited partnership held by real estate developer Conrad Cafritz.
Chris Mudd, an attorney for the property owner, said potential use for a data center has been under consideration for some time.
“Thus far, we’ve not had a lot of answers about specifics of the proposed use because there’s no developer that has been signed on with yet,” he said Tuesday. “We are close now to reaching an agreement with the developer, potentially, but regardless, as soon as we do, we intend to circle back with Councilman Young, with the administration and others at the state level.”
Mudd, who said he would return with more details about the site for the council’s next work session, urged the council to look at what other counties have done to study data centers.
In October 2023, Frederick County released a report on the economic and fiscal impacts of data centers, which said that developing such a site would support thousands of jobs and boost county and state revenues by more than $200 million. A data center workgroup there also addressed where to place the complexes and outlined recommendations for community benefits. Last December, the Frederick County Council approved a map that limits where data centers can be developed.
And in Prince George’s County, a special task force released a report last November that recommended tighter zoning regulations, sustainable energy and water policies, potential construction incentives, a high energy use surcharge and community benefits, among others.
Ruben Amaya, a Democratic candidate for County Council in the new District 2, asked what guarantees the county has that a data center would not pollute surrounding communities and how it would monitor air quality.
“I know many of my neighbors, not just in Woodlawn, but throughout the west side of Baltimore County, are struggling to afford rent, groceries and other necessities. People are struggling to afford electricity right now,” he said. “We’re being asked to give massive energy resources to corporate data centers instead. We have to address these needs first before adding facilities that will increase our electricity and water demands at their expense.”
Shawn McIntosh, a northern Baltimore County resident and candidate for County Council in the new District 5, urged the council to use evidence-based sources in making a final decision.
“Listen to your constituents and really dig deep. Don’t just listen to the corporate lobbyists, because they’re telling you that there’s lots of money to be had with data centers. It’s true, and we need money,” she said. “You know, I’m running for County Council; I recognize that we need money, but it can’t just be about the money because it also has to be about the impact to our constituents.”
Amaya and McIntosh also raised concerns about the previous data center legislation the council considered, citing inequity in allowing them in communities with lower incomes and more concentrated minority populations.
In 2024, the council voted 6-1 to approve zoning regulations defining what constitutes a data center and outlining where they can be built. An amendment to that legislation, also approved by a 6-1 vote, stated that data centers are permitted only south of Liberty Road or east of Pulaski Highway.
Patoka said Tuesday that he wanted to introduce legislation eliminating the geographic restrictions on where data centers can be located. Crandell said he thought the 2024 bill was “flawed.”
The council will discuss the bill again at its work session on Jan. 27. Council members are expected to vote on the legislation Feb. 2.
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