Scope
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners ordinance instituting a temporary moratorium on the permitting of data centers, data processing facilities, cryptocurrency mining operations and any use associated with data processing facilities (Legistar File 26-0061), adopted under N.C.G.S. § 160D-107, makes all development approvals for those uses subject to the moratorium. The ordinance places the moratorium on the use of property within the unincorporated jurisdiction of Chatham County and outside any municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions, and defines a data center or data processing facility as a building, dedicated space or group of buildings housing computer systems used for remote storage, processing or distribution of large amounts of data, including cryptocurrency mining.
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Chatham County, North Carolina
- Jurisdiction
- Local
- Authority type
- Local government
- Issuing authority
- Chatham County Board of Commissioners
Dates
- Adopted
- 11 February 2026
- Effective
- 11 February 2026
- Scheduled expiration
- 11 February 2027
- Ended
- Not recorded as ended
- Completion condition
- The ordinance states that the moratorium begins on 11 February 2026 and lasts until 11 February 2027, or until a Zoning Ordinance text amendment addressing data centers, data processing facilities, cryptocurrency mining and associated uses, whichever comes first. The stored 11 February 2027 is that printed outer limit.
- Source document
- 11 February 2026
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Summary
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on 11 February 2026, after a legislative hearing the same day, to approve an ordinance instituting a temporary moratorium on the permitting of data centers, data processing facilities, cryptocurrency mining operations and associated uses. The ordinance took effect on adoption and makes all development approvals for those uses in unincorporated Chatham County, outside municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions, subject to the moratorium. It runs until 11 February 2027 or until the county adopts a zoning text amendment addressing those uses, whichever comes first. It is a temporary ordinance, not a permanent prohibition, and does not by itself order existing facilities to close.
What this does not establish
- The ordinance copy read is the version posted with the 11 February 2026 hearing item; its signature and attestation lines are blank. Adoption that day is shown by the county's action details, which record a 5-0 vote approving the ordinance.
- The ordinance text does not mention applications already pending when it was adopted; how state law treats such applications was not checked.
- The ordinance also covers cryptocurrency mining operations and other uses associated with data processing facilities.
- It applies only in unincorporated Chatham County outside municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions, not inside towns.
Unresolved questions
- Whether the county adopts zoning text amendments for these uses before 11 February 2027, which under the ordinance would end the pause earlier.
Relationships
Supersession means a later instrument replaces the earlier legal effect. Repeal links identify the repeal instrument and the measure it ends. A later implementation or related letter is not treated as a replacement unless the record says so.
- No related action is recorded.
Sources
Primary source: Chatham County Board of Commissioners page on chathamnc.legistar.com
- Chatham County legislative record, File 26-0061 — Hearing item with the ordinance attached; its history shows Board of Commissioners approval on 11 February 2026
- Chatham County action details, 11 February 2026 — Records the motion approving the ordinance and the 5-0 vote · 11 February 2026