08/27/2026
๐ฃ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ต๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ก๐ฒ๐, ๐๐
๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐บ ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ช๐ฆ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐บ.
๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ โ The Pierce County Council passed an emergency ordinance on Tuesday, Aug. 25, that prohibits filing, processing, or approval of permits for new and expanded data centers exceeding 10 megawatts in unincorporated Pierce County for up to one year. A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Emergency ordinances require a supermajority, or five of seven votes, to pass. Emergency Ordinance No. 2026-577 passed by a 6-1 vote.
What: Public hearing on an emergency ordinance to prohibit new and expanded data centers in Unincorporated Pierce County.
When: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at 3 p.m.
Where: Pierce County Council Chambers, 1501 Market Street, Suite 140, Tacoma, WA 98402.
You can also participate in the public hearing remotely through Zoom by using this link or calling (253) 215-8782 and using Webinar ID: 976-6178-7423.
โAny type of development moratorium on private business is something to really take a hard look at. Some people would say that government doing that is exercising king-like authority,โ said Council Vice Chair Paul Herrera (District 2). โI have concerns about having moratoriums on private business, but I'm willing to support this moratorium; the county is already working on policy, and a formal pause is something I can live with, allowing time for that policy to develop.โ
There are currently no hyperscale data center applications for unincorporated Pierce County, and the Planning & Public Works Department is actively developing data center regulations.
The sole dissenting vote on the Council was Councilmember Dave Morell (District 1), citing Quincy, WA as a positive case study for data centers, sharing that the poverty rate was halved, the tax base grew from $6.13B to $54.2B assessed value, and arguing no genuine emergency exists to justify bypassing the normal legislative process.
โThis emergency ordinance bypasses the normal legislative process, where we get to debate pros and cons with public comments through multiple meetings. I think this is an abuse of the emergency because there is no emergency. The world isn't going to melt down if we don't allow the current process to happen, which, as indicated by the planning director, is underway,โ said Morell. โI would support an ordinance that went through the normal process, but I will not support a made-up emergency this way.โ
The emergency moratorium takes effect once the Executive signs it and will remain in place for one year, unless extended or lifted by the Council. During this period, no new applications for data center development will be accepted, processed, or approved within Unincorporated Pierce County.
The Council emphasizes that this action is a temporary, precautionary measure intended to give county staff time to fully assess the impacts of large-scale data center growth on the county. A comprehensive review will continue during the moratorium.
You can find more information and participate in the review process at Data Center Regulations | Pierce County, WA - Official Website.
