SUFFOLK, Va. — Suffolk City Council voted unanimously, 8-0, to approve an ordinance temporarily prohibiting data centers in the city as leaders consider how to manage future development.
Mayor Michael Duman said the city will not accept data center applications during the moratorium.
“At this particular time, we will not be accepting any applications for data centers whatsoever,” Duman said.
The ordinance also establishes a definition of a data center, describing facilities that house computer servers and equipment used to process and store data.
Timothy Wheels, a Suffolk resident who owns a technology company specializing in artificial intelligence and website development, was the only person to speak before the council vote.
Wheels said the fast-changing technology industry presents challenges for local governments trying to establish rules for data center development.
“It's not much type of governance because all this is new,” Wheels said.
He said he supports the moratorium because it gives the city time to prepare for the growing use of artificial intelligence.
“I'm in favor because it buys us time to come up with a plan, to come up with a strategy to prepare ourselves on how we use AI,” Wheels said.
The decision comes as communities across Hampton Roads weigh the potential benefits and impacts of data center development.
Earlier this week, residents from across the region gathered in Virginia Beach to call for a statewide pause on data centers. Chesapeake and Virginia Beach city councils also halted data center expansion earlier this year.
Supporters of data center development say the facilities can bring investment, tax revenue and construction jobs to local communities.
In Suffolk, city leaders have not specified how long the moratorium will remain in effect.
For now, the ordinance puts data center applications on hold as the city considers its approach to future development.
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