SALISBURY, Md. - Salisbury could soon place a one-year pause on new data center proposals as city leaders work to determine how the growing industry should fit into the city.
The Salisbury City Council is expected to consider a proposed one-year moratorium on data center applications at its Sept. 28 legislative meeting. The temporary pause would give city leaders time to study issues including water and power demands, land use, zoning and potential environmental impacts before a proposal is submitted.
Mayor Randy Taylor said the city is still gathering information about what data center development could mean for Salisbury.
“I think Salisbury, just like a lot of communities, are trying to gather enough information to make good decisions, kind of separate fact from fiction,” Taylor said. “And we're in that process now.”
Taylor said questions remain about the demand a data center could place on services such as water and electricity, as well as where such a facility could fit under the city’s existing zoning code.
Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers said he believes local governments should examine both the advantages and disadvantages of data center development.
Chambers said data centers are not typically major long-term job creators, but they can generate construction and trade jobs during development and provide substantial property tax revenue.
He said he does not believe a temporary moratorium would necessarily discourage companies from considering Salisbury.
“If the moratorium is intended to develop regulations and policies to govern the possibility of a data center locating here locally, that's a really good idea,” Chambers said. “If the moratorium is to kick the can down the road and do nothing, that's a really bad idea.”
The Wicomico Environmental Trust also supports the proposed pause.
Board President Carol Dunahoo said the organization wants city leaders to examine potential effects on water supplies, air quality, the electrical grid, noise and surrounding communities before determining where data centers could be allowed.
Dunahoo said questions surrounding water use are especially important on the Lower Shore, where homes and businesses rely on groundwater supplies.
She also pointed to concerns surrounding backup power systems, electrical demand and noise generated by some data center operations.
The environmental group supports the creation of a task force that would include community members, scientists, utility experts and other stakeholders.
“We support a moratorium because we think it gives everyone more time, more time to provide input from the perspective of the community and the environmental organizations, more time to gather expert input on all of these issues,” Dunahoo said.
Taylor said the process may not necessarily require the full year.
“It may not take a year,” Taylor said. “Once we determine all the data points, we can figure out what's the best case scenario for us, and we'll make a good decision from there.”
Salisbury has also discussed potentially working with Wicomico County as both jurisdictions study future data center regulations.
Wicomico County approved its own one-year moratorium on data center proposals in August.
