Washington County commissioners voted 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to restrict large-scale standalone data centers in unincorporated areas.
The resolution, first reported by the Valley Times, bars county departments from granting easements or rights-of-way to help build known large-scale standalone data centers, with exceptions for legal requirements and certain road improvements.
The county also cannot sell, lease or convey county-owned property to support such development or enter related nondisclosure agreements unless required by law.
Washington County does not support using tax and financial incentives intended for job creation to attract data centers, the resolution states.
Commissioners Nafisa Fai, Pam Treece and Jason Snider voted in favor. Vice Chair Jerry Willey cast the lone dissenting vote.
The measure does not establish a formal development moratorium or prohibit data center construction outright.
No large-scale standalone data centers are known to exist in unincorporated Washington County, and no applications are pending, according to county officials.
The vote ended weeks of disagreement over how far the county should go.
The resolution was originally scheduled for consideration Oct. 6 but was pulled by Willey, who is serving as acting chair following the resignation of former Commissioner Kathryn Harrington.
Commissioner Fai had proposed five amendments. Three were incorporated after county counsel reviewed the language, covering restrictions on property transactions, easements and nondisclosure agreements.
Willey had favored keeping the original resolution without additional restrictions.
He said at an Oct. 20 work session that the original version "did what we intended" and did not add burden on staff, according to the Valley Times.
The vote came a week before the Nov. 3 election, in which Fai and Treece are competing to succeed Harrington as county chair, the Valley Times reported.
County staff are directed to assess whether future planning documents should include updated rules on data center development.
