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Carroll County Extends Data Center Moratorium to February 2028
Carroll County commissioners voted Thursday to extend a pause on new data center development through Feb. 19, 2028, buying time to study infrastructure impacts and draft new regulations as other Maryland jurisdictions take similar steps.
Carroll County will keep new data centers out of its jurisdiction for at least another year after the Board of Commissioners voted Thursday morning to extend a development moratorium through Feb. 19, 2028.
The original pause took effect in February, when county officials launched a review of how large-scale data center projects could affect local infrastructure and surrounding communities. The extension gives planners and commissioners additional time to weigh changes to county code and craft regulations specifically governing data center construction.
The decision places Carroll County alongside a growing number of Maryland jurisdictions that have moved to slow or block the energy- and land-intensive facilities. Baltimore City and Baltimore and Howard counties have each adopted temporary pauses on new data center development, while Harford County has pursued a permanent ban.
The moratorium does not affect existing operations, but it prevents new proposals from advancing while the county determines what standards â from water and power consumption to setbacks and noise â should apply to future projects.
County officials have not announced a timeline for releasing draft regulations, but the extended window runs through early 2028, leaving room for public review before any new rules take effect.