Council Passes 18-Month Data Center Building Permit Moratorium
StewartJul 30, 2026
The Montgomery County Council passed Bill 19-26 on July 28, 2026, implementing an 18-month moratorium on the issuance of building permits for data centers. The Council also passed a zoning text amendment (ZTA) that defines data centers as facilities under 25 MW, consistent with Maryland's state definition, and precludes data centers from locating anywhere in the County until a building permit has been issued by the Department of Permitting Services. The legislation applies to any application that has not yet received a building permit.
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Change response
Source: Councilmember Kate Stewart, “Keeping Up with Kate: Data centers, waste management, and upcoming events”, received Jul 30, 2026.
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Key dates
2026-07-28
effective — Council passed Bill 19-26 (18-month data center moratorium) and accompanying ZTA at final pre-recess session
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