Seattle council voted to halt new AI data center construction for a year.
The 7-2 vote passed on Thursday, with Mayor Bruce Harrell signing the ordinance. The moratorium applies to any facility larger than 10,000 sq ft within the city limits and a three‑mile buffer around existing data centers. Officials say the pause lets the city finish draft regulations on power use, heat emissions, and community impact.
The move signals growing municipal scrutiny of the AI hardware boom. By limiting expansion now, Seattle hopes to avoid infrastructure strain and give residents a say before large, energy‑hungry plants appear nearby.
It’s a rare example of a city directly throttling AI‑related construction, a tactic other tech hubs may watch closely.