Alabama local moratoria

Every local infrastructure moratorium in the inventory for Alabama, current through September 23, 2026.

21 instruments — 19 in force, 1 pending, 1 past.

State policy is tracked separately: 4 actions (4 bills) in state_legislation.csv. These are not included in the local count above.

Detailed entries

Anniston

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-08-18, Anniston City Council unanimous adoption of Resolution No. 26-R-97 (added to the agenda by amendment)
• Normalized date: 2026-08-18 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months, effective immediately; council may shorten or extend. Planning Commission to report recommendations within six months.
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-anniston-2026
• Legal basis: Resolution No. 26-R-97 (temporary moratorium on the permitting, development and licensing of data centers within the city's regulatory jurisdiction)
• What prompted it: Planning Commission recommendation; existing zoning does not address large-scale data centers (electrical demand, water/wastewater, stormwater, noise, lighting, generators, neighborhood compatibility). City already hosts a 2 MW colocation facility (FirmFarm).
• Affected projects: Existing data centers unaffected unless they cease operations 60+ days or let a business license lapse.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; Resolution 26-R-97 adopted 2026-08-18, effective immediately, scheduled for 12 months (to about 2027-08-18).
• Outcome: One-year moratorium adopted.

Birmingham

• Type: City
• Status: ⚪ Replaced
• Date enacted: 2026-03-03
• Normalized date: 2026-03-03 (exact)
• Duration: 180 days from the March 3, 2026 adoption/vote date, expiring August 30, 2026 (March 3 plus 180 days). WBRC and Birmingham Times both confirm the March 3, 2026 vote date and the six-month term; no separate publication-date lag was found or is needed for this calculation.
• Current end date: 2026-08-30
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-birmingham-2026
• Legal basis: Birmingham City Council March 3, 2026 agenda, P(ph) Item 1, "An Ordinance to consider a temporary suspension on data centers within the City" [Second Reading], adopted unanimously per Birmingham Times reporting; the city's data center policy page (birminghamal.gov/datacenters) confirms the moratorium is in effect [VERIFY: formal ordinance number not yet visible in Municode or city ordinance index as of 2026-04-29]
• What prompted it: Regulatory gap and project pressure from large/hyperscale proposals; city cited need to review zoning, land-use policy, infrastructure readiness, environmental responsibility, neighborhood compatibility, and transparent approval procedures
• Affected projects: Applies prospectively to new or expanding large/hyperscale data centers above 20 MW. The Nebius BHM01/Oxmoor project and DC BLOX expansion were reported as exempt because applications or permits were already complete or under review before the moratorium took effect.
• Detailed status: Replaced; the moratorium ended at the close of its 180-day term (on or about 2026-08-30) and was superseded by the permanent data-center zoning ordinance (zoning case ZAC2026-00001, 20 conditions for hyperscale facilities) adopted 6-3 on 2026-06-09, which per WBRC took effect when the moratorium lifted. AL.com (2026-09-18) lists Birmingham's moratorium as expired and replaced by the new zoning regulations; the city's data-center page now describes only the adopted zoning rules.
• Outcome: Replaced by permanent data-center zoning regulations (ZAC2026-00001) adopted 2026-06-09 and effective when the moratorium ended (~2026-08-30).

Calera

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-07-06, Calera City Council motion approving a 6-month moratorium on data centers (5 ayes, 1 abstention), per minutes approved 2026-07-20
• Normalized date: 2026-07-06 (exact)
• Duration: Six months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-calera-2026
• Legal basis: Calera City Council motion approving a six-month moratorium on data centers, added to the July 6, 2026 agenda by amendment (no resolution or ordinance number recorded in the minutes)
• What prompted it: Not stated in the minutes; Shelby County cities acting amid data center proposals in the county.
• Affected projects: None identified.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; six-month moratorium approved 2026-07-06 (runs to about early January 2027).
• Outcome: Six-month moratorium adopted.

Chelsea

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-07-21, Chelsea City Council unanimous voice vote adopting Resolution 2026-07-21-1407
• Normalized date: 2026-07-21 (exact)
• Duration: One year
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-chelsea-2026
• Legal basis: Resolution 2026-07-21-1407 (moratorium on certain business licenses and building permits for data centers); companion Resolution 2026-07-21-1406 covers residential rental communities
• What prompted it: Proactive; zoning ordinance does not address data centers; no credible proposal in city limits, though nearby communities have projects.
• Affected projects: None identified.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; one-year moratorium on new building permits and business licenses for data centers adopted 2026-07-21 while the city rewrites its zoning ordinance.
• Outcome: One-year moratorium adopted.

Cullman

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-22 (Monday), Cullman City Council unanimous adoption of Resolution No. 2026-116
• Normalized date: 2026-06-22 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months
• Current end date: 2027-06-22
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-cullman-2026
• Legal basis: Resolution No. 2026-116 (City of Cullman), imposing a temporary one-year moratorium on the acceptance, processing and approval of data-center applications; a separate proposed permanent prohibition, Ordinance No. 2026-42, was referred to the Planning Commission
• What prompted it: City will examine existing zoning districts and assess potential impacts of data centers on residents' quality of life during the moratorium
• Affected projects: Not identified in captured news coverage
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23 under Resolution No. 2026-116 (adopted 2026-06-22; one-year term to about 2027-06-22). Proposed Ordinance No. 2026-42, which would permanently prohibit data centers in city limits, was pulled from the 2026-09-01 Planning Commission agenda at the city clerk's request ('Additional time is needed for review'); the next Planning Commission meeting is 2026-10-06.
• Outcome: City council unanimously adopted a 12-month moratorium on data centers

Fairfield

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-07-27 (City adoption of Ordinance 1174)
• Normalized date: 2026-07-27 (exact)
• Duration: 180-day prospective moratorium beginning on the ordinance's effective date (publication/posting date not located)
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-fairfield-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance 1174
• What prompted it: Pause on new data centers, data center support facilities, and material expansions; exempts two specified parcels at 7199 and 7160 Aaron Aronov Drive and preserves vested rights and existing lawful operations
• Affected projects: Exempts 7199 and 7160 Aaron Aronov Drive (site of the disclosed Patmos colocation data center proposal reported 2026-07-22)
• Detailed status: Active as of adoption 2026-07-27; the publication/posting date establishing the precise effective and expiration dates was not located. [VERIFY]
• Outcome: —

Foley

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-09-08 (Tuesday), Foley City Council approval of the ordinance on final reading
• Normalized date: 2026-09-08 (exact)
• Duration: Six months, in effect upon adoption
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: al-foley-2026
• Legal basis: Foley City Council ordinance imposing a temporary moratorium on data centers, Bitcoin/cryptocurrency mining facilities, server farms and similar technically oriented uses (a Gulf Coast Media legal-notice listing titles it Ordinance 26-2029; that page returned 404 and could not be archived)
• What prompted it: Proactive; no known proposal. Time to update zoning ordinances and technical design manuals for water, air and noise, and to evaluate megawatt thresholds with city-owned Riviera Utilities.
• Affected projects: None; no data center proposed in or near Foley.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; six-month moratorium adopted on final reading 2026-09-08 and in effect (to about early March 2027).
• Outcome: Six-month moratorium adopted.

Fort Payne

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-16 (City Council unanimous approval of a six-month data center moratorium)
• Normalized date: 2026-06-16 (exact)
• Duration: Six months while the Planning Commission drafts zoning rules
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, battery storage
• Moratorium ID: al-fort-payne-2026
• Legal basis: City Council ordinance/resolution (instrument number not located)
• What prompted it: Pause on data center development while the city drafts zoning rules; officials said the city had received no data center inquiry and acted before an application arrived
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; per WAFF the six-month moratorium remains in effect through 2026-12-15 (the council may extend it). On 2026-09-01 the council unanimously adopted permanent zoning rules making data centers and battery energy storage systems conditional uses in manufacturing/warehouse districts (Board of Zoning Adjustment review plus public hearing), but the moratorium was not ended. The adopted moratorium text and instrument number were not located. [VERIFY instrument number not confirmed at confidence 0.6 in the 2026-07 refresh]
• Outcome: —

Harpersville

• Type: Town
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-08-03, Harpersville Town Council unanimous roll-call adoption (one member absent) of Ordinance 2026-08-03-03
• Normalized date: 2026-08-03 (exact)
• Duration: Six months from the effective date (effective immediately upon adoption); expires automatically unless extended
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: al-harpersville-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance 2026-08-03-03, 'An Ordinance Declaring a Six (6) Month Moratorium on Data Centers'
• What prompted it: Proactive; no developer has approached the town, but nearby Wilsonville, Westover and Childersburg have been approached. Study electrical demand, water, emergency services and noise; monthly public information sessions planned.
• Affected projects: None proposed.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; six-month moratorium on zoning, rezoning, new business licenses and building permits for data centers (including cryptocurrency mining and blockchain processing) in town limits and police jurisdiction, adopted and effective 2026-08-03, expiring 2027-02-03 unless extended.
• Outcome: Six-month moratorium adopted; informational sessions began 2026-08-31.

Helena

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-22 (City Council gave Ordinance 1043-2026 immediate consideration and adopted it by unanimous consent, 4-0, on its first reading, per official minutes); an amended version (radius cut from 1,000 to 500 feet) had a first reading 2026-08-10 (a motion for immediate consideration failed for lack of a second) and 2026-08-24; an amendment exempting two previously initiated projects was adopted 3-1 on 2026-09-14
• Normalized date: 2026-06-22 (exact)
• Duration: 180 days from the effective date (upon publication); may be extended or rescinded
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, general
• Moratorium ID: al-helena-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance No. 1043-2026, temporary suspension on the establishment or expansion of gas stations, auto parts/mechanic shops, automobile or manufactured home dealerships, and data centers (amended 2026-09-14)
• What prompted it: Zoning does not restrict certain B2/B3/M1/M2 uses near Highways 17, 52, 58 and 95; need to study appropriate regulation while a zoning rewrite is underway.
• Affected projects: Amendment exempts a Highway 58 hardware store/convenience store with gas pumps and a proposed two-bay oil-change facility; no data center project identified.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; Ordinance 1043-2026, adopted 2026-06-22 and effective on publication, suspends applications for new or expanded data centers, gas stations, auto parts and mechanic shops and auto or manufactured-home dealerships within 1,000 feet of Highways 17, 52, 58 and 95 for 180 days (to about mid/late December 2026). On 2026-09-14 the council amended it 3-1 to exempt two previously initiated projects; data centers remain covered. Council members said they plan a separate, standalone data-center moratorium.
• Outcome: Multi-use 180-day moratorium in force; standalone data-center moratorium planned.

Homewood

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-22, per WBRC reporting of the city council vote
• Normalized date: 2026-06-22 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months, with the possibility of an additional six-month extension
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-homewood-2026
• Legal basis: Homewood City Council ordinance, unanimously adopted, temporarily suspending approval of data centers larger than one megawatt
• What prompted it: City wants to study how data center facilities could affect the community before further approvals
• Affected projects: Not identified in captured news coverage
• Detailed status: Adopted unanimously; not independently re-checked past 2026-06-23 publication
• Outcome: City council unanimously adopted a 12-month moratorium on data centers larger than one megawatt

Hueytown

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-07-14 (Hueytown City Council unanimous roll-call adoption of Resolution 7499, per the approved July 14, 2026 minutes)
• Normalized date: 2026-07-14 (exact)
• Duration: Not stated in the minutes; the signed Resolution 7499 text (term/expiration) was not located
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-hueytown-undated
• Legal basis: Resolution 7499, imposing a temporary moratorium on the acceptance and issuance of building permits, site plan approvals and special use permits for data center facilities (adopted 2026-07-14)
• What prompted it: Proposed temporary moratorium on data center-classed facilities
• Affected projects: —
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; Resolution 7499 was adopted unanimously on 2026-07-14 per the city's posted minutes. No rescission or later action appears in the posted July 28 through September 1 minutes or the August-September agendas; an August agenda notes the Planning and Zoning Commission is addressing data centers. The term and expiration are not stated in the minutes.
• Outcome: —

Leeds

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-08 (Monday night), Leeds City Council, unanimous vote.
• Normalized date: 2026-06-08 (exact)
• Duration: One year from adoption (to approximately 2027-06-08).
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-leeds-2026
• Legal basis: Leeds City Council ordinance imposing a one-year moratorium on data center and other high-impact facility development, halting new permits and approvals (ordinance number not located).
• What prompted it: No active data center project underway in Leeds at time of adoption; preemptive pause to allow the city to update zoning ordinances and gather public feedback, amid a wider wave of Alabama municipalities (Birmingham, Homewood, and later Pinson) considering similar pauses.
• Affected projects: None pending at time of adoption.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-07-31 (expires approximately 2027-06-08). [VERIFY instrument number; primary source (news-only evidence) not confirmed at confidence 0.65 in the 2026-07 refresh]
• Outcome: City Council unanimously adopted a one-year moratorium halting new data-center permits and approvals.

Morgan County

• Type: County
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-06-23 (County Commission approval of a one-year moratorium on the proposed VoltCore Bitcoin-mining data center)
• Normalized date: 2026-06-23 (exact)
• Duration: One year, to allow study of environmental, noise, and other community effects
• Current end date: 2027-06-23
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: al-morgan-county-2026
• Legal basis: Morgan County Commission Resolution 26-302, 'Resolution Establishing Temporary One-Year Moratorium on All Property Development, Construction, and Operation of Data Center Campuses and Similar High-Impact Facilities in the Unincorporated Residential Areas of Morgan County' (adopted 2026-06-23, effective immediately)
• What prompted it: Pause targeted at the proposed 50 MW VoltCore Bitcoin-mining facility near Union Road and the Stringer watershed near Somerville, following resident petitions (more than 450 signatures reported by the vote)
• Affected projects: Proposed VoltCore 50 MW Bitcoin-mining facility near Union Road/Stringer watershed, Somerville
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23 on paper: Resolution 26-302 was adopted unanimously on 2026-06-23 and runs to 2027-06-23. County officials said in August 2026 that it is unenforceable because the county has no zoning authority (County Attorney: 'There's no method for us to enforce a moratorium'); utility-locate work for the proposed Sovereign Gazelle/VoltCore bitcoin mine on Union Road has proceeded.
• Outcome: —

Pinson

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-08-06 (Thursday), Pinson City Council approval at its first August meeting after a 2026-07-16 first reading
• Normalized date: 2026-08-06 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-pinson-2026
• Legal basis: Pinson City Council moratorium (described as an ordinance with a July 16 first reading by AL.com and as a resolution by the city's outside counsel; number not located)
• What prompted it: Proactive; time to define 'hyper/mega' data centers and write zoning regulations; concerns about power, water and noise seen in western Jefferson County.
• Affected projects: None identified.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; one-year moratorium on new data-center proposals approved 2026-08-06.
• Outcome: One-year moratorium adopted.

Prichard

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: Early August 2026: NBC 15 reports the council approved a six-month moratorium on Aug. 4, 2026; the AL.com map dataset lists 8/6/2026. The proposal introduced 2026-07-23 was for a renewable 480-day term, but the adopted measure is reported as 180 days.
• Normalized date: 2026-08 (month_only)
• Duration: 180 days (six months) as adopted, per NBC 15 and FOX10; the earlier draft proposed a renewable 480-day term
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-prichard-undated
• Legal basis: Prichard City Council moratorium on new data centers adopted early August 2026 (instrument number and signed text not located)
• What prompted it: Proposed pause on new data center permits following opposition to Edged Energy's planned Telegraph Road facility near Africatown
• Affected projects: Edged Energy's proposed data center at 214 Telegraph Road, near Africatown
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; the Prichard City Council adopted a six-month data-center moratorium in early August 2026 (NBC 15: Aug. 4). The council attorney said on 2026-09-10 that it does not apply to Edged Energy's Telegraph Road project because the building permit (issued 2026-07-30) predated it; the council has instead moved to require Planning Commission site-plan review, and Edged has threatened litigation.
• Outcome: Six-month moratorium adopted in August 2026; Edged Energy's already-permitted project treated as outside its scope.

Rogersville

• Type: Town
• Status: 🟡 Pending
• Date enacted: Not adopted as of 2026-09-18: first reading of a proposed six-month data-center moratorium ordinance in July 2026; a vote WHNT reported as scheduled for Aug. 10 had not happened per AL.com (2026-09-18)
• Normalized date: — (unverified)
• Duration: Proposed six months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-rogersville-undated
• Legal basis: Proposed Rogersville Town Council ordinance (first reading July 2026; number not located)
• What prompted it: Severe water-capacity shortage (the water board already bars new meters); the town wants a pause in place before water access resumes.
• Affected projects: None.
• Detailed status: Pending as of 2026-09-23; first reading held in July 2026, not yet voted. A Sept. 18, 2026 AL.com roundup independently confirms the town 'hasn't voted on it yet' and that the mayor called it 'on the table,' so the pending status is current as of this refresh.
• Outcome: Proposed; not adopted.

Somerville

• Type: Town
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: On or about 2026-07-07, per 1819News and Yahoo/local-TV reporting of the Town Council vote
• Normalized date: 2026-07 (month_only)
• Duration: Reported 18-month moratorium on data centers within town limits
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center, cryptocurrency mining
• Moratorium ID: al-somerville-2026
• Legal basis: Town Council ordinance/resolution (instrument not located; official town website could not be retrieved due to an SSL certificate mismatch)
• What prompted it: Pause following resident opposition to a proposed Bitcoin-mining facility near Union Road
• Affected projects: Proposed VoltCore-related Bitcoin-mining facility near Union Road, Somerville
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23 per local reporting; the Somerville Town Council approved an 18-month moratorium on data centers within town limits (1819 News, published 2026-07-08, reports the vote 'on Tuesday', i.e. 2026-07-07). The proposed Sovereign Gazelle/VoltCore bitcoin mine is at 369 Union Road just outside town limits, and utility-locate work there proceeded in August. [VERIFY] [VERIFY instrument number; primary source (news-only evidence) not confirmed at confidence 0.45 in the 2026-07 refresh]
• Outcome: —

Springville

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-07-06 (Monday), Springville City Council
• Normalized date: 2026-07-06 (exact)
• Duration: One year
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-springville-2026
• Legal basis: Springville City Council one-year moratorium on consideration and approval of data center proposals (instrument number not located)
• What prompted it: Proactive, following community concern that Commerce Park development might be a data center (county said no); gives the planning and zoning commission time to draft regulations.
• Affected projects: None; officials said no project is in the pipeline.
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23 per local reporting; one-year moratorium adopted 2026-07-06.
• Outcome: One-year moratorium adopted.

Tarrant

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-09-08 (Tuesday), Tarrant City Council approval of Ordinance No. 1177 (first reading had been scheduled for the preceding Tuesday meeting per ABC 33/40)
• Normalized date: 2026-09-08 (exact)
• Duration: 12 months (one year)
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-tarrant-2026
• Legal basis: Ordinance No. 1177 (temporary moratorium on accepting and processing business license applications for data centers)
• What prompted it: Proactive; no data center developer had approached the city. City wants to study electrical capacity, water, transportation and public-safety impacts and train its planning commission before setting local standards.
• Affected projects: None; no proposal pending (several vacant buildings could suit a small data center, per the mayor).
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23; one-year moratorium on data-center business licenses approved 2026-09-08. Mayor says listening sessions and town halls will follow.
• Outcome: One-year moratorium adopted; feasibility study underway.

Westover

• Type: City
• Status: 🟢 Active
• Date enacted: 2026-08-18 (Tuesday), Westover City Council unanimous vote on the moratorium ordinance (tabled at the previous meeting)
• Normalized date: 2026-08-18 (exact)
• Duration: Six months
• Current end date: —
• Sectors: data center
• Moratorium ID: al-westover-2026
• Legal basis: Westover City Council ordinance imposing a six-month moratorium on data centers (ordinance number not located)
• What prompted it: Resident opposition to a proposed data center on roughly 450 acres along U.S. Highway 280 and Cheshire Drive after the city's MOU with the developer fell through; time to study zoning and impacts.
• Affected projects: Proposed ~450-acre data center site along Highway 280 / Cheshire Drive (effect of the moratorium on it not stated).
• Detailed status: Active as of 2026-09-23 per local reporting; six-month moratorium approved unanimously 2026-08-18. The Planning Commission is researching zoning changes.
• Outcome: Six-month moratorium adopted.

Source: moratorium_inventory.csv · Methodology · Codebook.

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