The Northampton City Council discussed a moratorium on data centers during its Sept. 3 meeting.
Photo credit: Northampton Open Media
NORTHAMPTON — Preliminary discussions about data centers have evolved into a tangible path forward for Northampton after the City Council’s most recent discussion.
On Sept. 3, City Council President Rachel Maiore presented an ordinance amendment to the full body that would place a 365-day moratorium on data centers in Northampton while the city studies their impacts. The amendment, which was also sponsored by Ward 3 Councilor Laurie Loisel and Ward 1 Councilor Gwen Nabad, includes an 180-day extension of that moratorium if the council wishes to pursue that road.
“There seems to be a lot of anxiety in the city, and I understand that, but I feel like we need to look at this,” Loisel said. “And I think the moratorium, I hope, will help take the heat off and just let us look at it with some measure of dispassion so that we can get the information we need to make the decisions that we need to make.”
Coinciding with this ordinance amendment is a resolution that Maiore, Loisel and Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra presented, which asks Maiore to appoint a joint committee to study the impact of data centers.
If the resolution passes, Maiore — as the council president — would choose a 10-member joint committee that includes three city councilors, two city department heads approved by the mayor and five city residents who “possess experience or expertise in the professional fields of data processing, environmental, and/or economic and/or community impact of data centers.”
The resolution states that Maiore would have until Oct. 1 to choose the committee, and that select committee would present findings and recommendations to the full City Council by or before April 1, 2027.
For the most part, councilors offered cursory opinions on the two items during the Sept. 3 meeting, but more comprehensive discussions are planned. Eventually, the ordinance amendment was referred to the Planning Board and Legislative Matters Committee for a joint meeting on Sept. 24, and the council will officially vote on the resolution at its Sept. 17 meeting.
One major point of discussion on Sept. 3 stemmed from Ward 6 Councilor Chris Stratton, who shared a concern about the size of some data centers and the “gigantic [artificial intelligence] workloads” they carry. He also said he wants to distinguish between someone who offers data as part of their business and an existing business of another nature that needs data services.
Stratton said he’ll propose an amendment regarding electric supply at a future meeting.
“Is there some sort of modest-size data as a business on behalf of others that should be allowed in Northampton, or we just really don’t wanna be in that at all?,” Stratton said. “At the same time though, I think that our moratorium that we’re gonna fast track here should be something that makes an allowance for in-house data needs, supporting another type of business.”
At Large City Councilor Meg Robbins also proposed an amendment to the council’s ordinance. She said she wants the moratorium to “not apply to computer services, information technology rooms, telecommunications equipment or similar equipment that is accessory and incidental to an otherwise lawful principal use.”
She noted the $5 million that was recently awarded to Holyoke for a quantum computing complex as a reason for wanting this amendment.
Maiore said the moratorium sponsors were open to “any and all” feedback from councilors and the public.
“I’m hearing what Councilor Stratton is saying in terms of, he’d like to amend this. I’m also hearing what Councilor Robbins is saying … we should add quantum computing in there,” Nabad said. I think that all of this can be developed better. And I think it can be amended if we need to amend it. And obviously it would find its way through Planning and Sustainability.”
The council’s discussions come at an interesting juncture in the data center discussion. Just days after the council’s meeting, Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order requiring data centers to receive local approval before state permitting agencies can advance projects. Concurrently, many Western Mass. communities have already taken action on the issue.
Holyoke recently approved a ban on future development of the centers, while Agawam approved a 270-day moratorium and Westfield approved a 12-month moratorium.
The City Council next meets on Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on 212 Main St. and over Zoom. No agenda is attached yet. The council’s Legislative Matters committee and Planning Board will hold their joint meeting on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. No agenda is included in that meeting yet, either.
