Palmer Lake pauses data-center land-use approvals for six months
The town will stop processing covered applications for new data centers and material expansions, with exceptions for routine work and certain public-service technology.
The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees voted 4-0 on Sept. 10 to impose a six-month moratorium on town land-use approvals for new data centers and projects that materially expand existing facilities, according to the [meeting minutes](https://palmerlakeco.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetAttachmentFile(fileId=1160).
Resolution 31-2026 bars the town from accepting, processing, scheduling, considering or approving covered applications or requests. These include rezoning, development plans, conditional or special-use permits, subdivisions, variances and other discretionary land-use approvals. The restriction applies regardless of a property's zoning or whether an applicant believes a data center fits an existing use classification.
The moratorium covers establishing, constructing, converting or changing the use of a data-center facility, as well as material increases in its scale or capacity. The resolution lists building area, electrical service or demand, cooling capacity, water demand and backup-generation capacity as examples of changes that may qualify.
The resolution allows nonbinding pre-application discussions and technical inquiries, but says they do not constitute approval, create a vested right or promise that a project will eventually be allowed. It does not govern separate permitting agencies.
Exceptions include routine maintenance, repairs and replacement in kind that do not materially increase capacity; data or network equipment incidental to another lawful principal use; certain town, public-safety or essential-service technology; and some applications accepted before the effective date when protected by vested rights or other controlling law. The Town Administrator, consulting with the Town Attorney and staff, may make written determinations about whether a project is covered or exempt.
The moratorium ends automatically at 11:59 p.m. six calendar months after adoption—March 10, 2027—unless the Board ends it sooner or adopts regulations that supersede it. Any extension would require separate Board action.