Scope
The Oklahoma City emergency ordinance approved by the City Council on 21 April 2026 declares a moratorium until 31 December 2026 on the acceptance of new applications for processing of and issuance of rezoning requests and permits, including building permits, that would allow construction on, expansion of, or use of property for a data center located in Oklahoma City. The ordinance provides an exception for certain pending rezoning requests and an appeal process. The ordinance number is not stated in the city documents reviewed.
- Geographic scope
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Jurisdiction
- Local
- Authority type
- Local government
- Issuing authority
- Oklahoma City Council
Dates
- Adopted
- 21 April 2026
- Effective
- 21 April 2026
- Scheduled expiration
- 31 December 2026
- Ended
- Not recorded as ended
- Completion condition
- The city's release states that the moratorium under the ordinance remains in place until 31 December 2026, or ends earlier if the City Council approves amendments to the City's Zoning Code regarding data centers.
- Source document
- 21 April 2026
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Summary
On 21 April 2026 the Oklahoma City Council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance placing a temporary moratorium on new data centers within city limits. The ordinance halts the acceptance of new applications and the processing and issuance of rezoning requests and permits, including building permits, for the construction or expansion of data centers, with an exception for certain pending rezoning requests. The city states that it took effect immediately and runs until 31 December 2026, or until earlier approval of Zoning Code amendments on data centers. It is a temporary pause on new approvals; it does not order existing facilities to shut down.
What this does not establish
- The ordinance text itself was not reviewed; its terms come from the City Manager's agenda memo and the city's news release of 21 April 2026, and neither states the ordinance number.
- Later council actions that may have amended the ordinance's scope, exceptions or end date were not checked.
- The appeal process and the exact wording of the pending-rezoning exception were not reviewed.
Unresolved questions
- Whether the City Council has amended the ordinance, approved Zoning Code amendments on data centers that end it early, or extended it beyond 31 December 2026.
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: Oklahoma City Council page on okc.gov
- City Manager's council agenda memo, item XI.U, 21 April 2026 — Describes the ordinance to be introduced and adopted with an emergency, its 31 December 2026 end, the pending-rezoning exception and the appeal process · 21 April 2026