The Skagit County Board of Commissioners has approved and adopted a moratorium on new data centers for rural areas of the county.
“We’ve worked for generations as a community to protect the Skagit Valley for farming, fisheries and the natural environment,” said Skagit County Board of Commissioners Chair Ron Wesen. “Data centers have significant impacts, and it is important that we approach this issue carefully and thoughtfully.”
For this moratorium, data centers are defined as facilities meant to house computers and related equipment that are larger than 2,000 square feet or have a total anticipated load of two megawatts or greater.
The moratorium only applies to rural Skagit County, outside incorporated cities and towns.
“This is major issue for our community, and we look forward to hearing from stakeholders over the coming months,” said Skagit County Commissioner Joe Burns. “There is only one Skagit Valley, and we have an obligation to get this right.”
Next up, Skagit County Planning and Development Services will create a new code to regulate the siting of data centers.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at 10:30 a.m. on July 14. Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. that same day.