Denver has enacted a temporary moratorium on new data center development, pausing approvals for the next year as city leaders evaluate how future facilities could impact infrastructure, utilities and surrounding neighborhoods.
The measure, approved unanimously by Denver City Council on Monday, May 18, comes as officials and residents raise concerns about the rapid expansion of data centers and the growing demands they place on energy and water resources. The temporary halt applies to new proposals and construction permits but does not impact projects already underway or facilities currently in operation.
City leaders said the pause will allow Denver to study potential updates to zoning and sustainability requirements tied to data center development. Discussions are expected to focus on long-term energy consumption, environmental impacts and compatibility with nearby communities.
The decision follows increasing scrutiny of large-scale data center projects across the country as demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure continues to accelerate.
In Denver, concerns have centered on proposed developments near residential neighborhoods and the National Western Center area. Construction is currently underway on the CoreSite data center being built in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood. The facility has become a focal point in the broader debate surrounding data center growth in the city, with some community members expressing concerns over environmental impacts, utility consumption and compatibility with nearby residential areas.
“A moratorium only matters if it produces binding protections before the next approval, expansion, permit, or utility agreement,” read a statement from the GES Coalition. “Denver has one year. That year must not become a lobbyist waiting room. It must become a public law-writing process that protects people before corporations write Denver’s future for us.”
