Surry commissioners consider extending data center moratorium up to 24 months

The Surry County Board of Commissioners is considering a moratorium on data center projects of up to 24 months.

The commissioners said Monday they plan to vote at their July 20 meeting to determine how long to extend their current 60-day moratorium. The current hold on data centers ends July 31.

The board will conduct a public hearing on extending the moratorium before voting.

Adrienne Gardner, the county's development services director, presented commissioners with feedback from the county planning board's June 8 meeting, which recommended extending the moratorium by 12 to 24 months.

"The planning board understands that the subject of data center regulation is of critical importance to the citizens of Surry County," Gardner said. "The issue is complex and involves a myriad of concerns."

Gardner said the planning board needs more time to perform due diligence to ensure that Surry residents "are afforded adequate protections, and also give due consideration of potential development of private property."

County Attorney Howard Jones said the county is not aware of any potential data center projects, despite social media accounts he called "misleading."

Rather, Jones said county staff wants to ensure county zoning regulations account for proper oversight of industrial facilities with potential major environmental impacts.

Those impacts can include energy and water use volumes, as well as noise issues for neighbors.

Jones said the planning board "has listed a lengthy set of items that it would like more time for. The board feels it has a very special responsibility to the citizens of this county."

Jones stressed that the county board does not have the right to outlaw data centers or enact legislation.

"What the board can do is give direction to development services," Jones said. "Something needs to be heard at the July 20 meeting."

Commissioner Van Tucker said extending the moratorium is advisable, in part to see whether the state legislature does next.

The House approved on June 3 bipartisan legislation that would significantly tighten regulations on current and future data centers in North Carolina.

The House applied the gut-and-replace approach to Senate Bill 730, which was renamed the "Ratepayers Protection Act."

The bill has been sent to the Senate for consideration of the House changes. The restrictions would go into effect upon being signed into law.

According to a legislative staff analysis of the revamped SB 730, data centers must contractually cover all new infrastructure and energy costs "so they don't shift them to ratepayers."

The bill also blocks foreign-adversary ownership, prohibits eminent domain and ends new local taxpayer incentives.

The bill does not curtail the state's ability to offer economic incentives and infrastructure grants to data center developers and operators.

"A longer period, 24 months, would coincide with whatever they come up with at the state level that we could be able to work with," Tucker said.

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 9:39 AM.