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Oklahoma City Extends Data Center Moratorium Through 2027, Citing Zoning Review
Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to extend a moratorium on new data center rezoning requests until the end of 2027 or until the zoning code is updated, whichever comes first. The move follows public backlash over a recently approved hyperscale data center and calls for a construction hold.
OKLAHOMA CITY â The Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to extend a moratorium on new rezoning requests for data center projects through the end of next year or until the city's zoning code is updated, whichever occurs first. The decision keeps a pause that was originally approved in April and May and was set to expire at the end of this year.
City Manager Craig Freeman said the extension will allow more time to work with a consultant hired to review the zoning code and gather additional information. "We feel like there's just a lot more information that we can collect working with our consultant and what we'll learn in this process," Freeman said.
The council has made one exception to the moratorium: a hyperscale data center that was already in the approval pipeline. On October 27, the council approved a rezoning request for that project, and the city is still negotiating a community benefits agreement with the developer.
That approval drew criticism from residents, including Le'Shauhndin Kirkendoll, who has been attending council meetings to oppose data center development. During Tuesday's public comment period, Kirkendoll played a recording of data center noise on her phone to demonstrate what she says living near such a facility would sound like. Mayor David Holt interrupted her after about 90 seconds, saying she had made her point.
"Within 90 seconds, 30, 60 seconds Holt was already irritated and annoyed with the noise quality. But that's what our elected officials are wanting to force the constituents to live with for whatever reason," Kirkendoll said afterward.
Kirkendoll said she has heard widespread opposition from residents but no one speaking in favor of putting a data center in their neighborhood. She welcomed the moratorium extension but urged the council to go further. "I also hope that they implement some type of construction hold, because Oklahoma just needs to pump the brakes a little bit until we can get a bigger picture of what's going on," she said.
The moratorium extension comes as cities across the country grapple with a surge in data center proposals driven by demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Supporters point to tax revenue and jobs, while opponents raise concerns about noise, water and energy consumption, and strain on local infrastructure. The council's move signals that Oklahoma City wants to update its zoning rules before considering additional projects.
The next step for the already-approved hyperscale campus will be to finalize the community benefits agreement, which could include provisions for local hiring, infrastructure improvements, or other mitigations. The council is expected to continue working with its consultant on zoning code updates in the coming months.