BEL AIR, Md. — Harford County leaders are taking action to pause data center development after neighbors expressed concerns about a potential project.
Harford County considers a 90-day pause on data center development
At Tuesday's Harford County Council meeting, Councilmember Jacob Bennett officially introduced a bill to put a 90-day pause on any new developments involving data centers in the county.
"So this moratorium basically lets the community know, if you're interested in putting a data center in our county, don't come knocking on our door," Bennett said.
During the meeting, Councilmember Nolanda Robert confirmed a developer is looking at putting a data center at the site of Mountain Branch Golf Course in Joppa.
"I actually had them come to my office, spoke to that person, told them that the citizens of Harford County are not for it," Robert said.
Neighbors wearing green filed into the council chambers to show unity against the development. Bryan Cornell, organizer of the new group Our Land, Our Home, Our Harford, highlighted the rapid growth of community opposition.
"Our Facebook page had 50 members at the end of Sunday; it's almost to 1,000 in 2 days, people are coming out of the woodwork; they want to get involved; they don't want this," Cornell said.
Some neighbors wanted to see the pause extended beyond 90 days. Bennett said he is open to an extension, noting that everyone on the council is on the same page.
"We're in a rare moment of universal agreement, which is exciting, and that means we're at a moment right now to make some progress," Bennett said.
Before the pause becomes official, the public has a chance to share thoughts at a hearing on May 19 at 6:30 in the council chambers.
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