Baltimore County MD data center moratorium (Bill 3-26; extension Bill 79-26)
Baltimore County, MD — Data Center Permitting Moratorium (Bill 3-26, Feb. 2026); Council Unanimously Passes Bill 79-26 Extending It to Dec. 31, 2027 (September 2026)
Baltimore County, MD · Baltimore County Council Bill 3-26 (enacted Feb. 4, 2026; eff. Feb. 18, 2026), as extended by Bill 79-26 (passed Sept. 22, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- December 31, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center developers and applicants; Baltimore County agencies including the Department of Permits, Approvals, and Inspections
- Enforced by
- Baltimore County Department of Permits, Approvals, and Inspections; Baltimore County Council
Baltimore County, Maryland has suspended data center permitting since February 2026. Bill 3-26, enacted February 4 and effective February 18, 2026, stopped the county from issuing data center permits or approving development plans or zoning petitions for data centers while the Planning Board studied the issue; it was set to run until January 1, 2027 or 90 days after the Planning Board's report, whichever came first. The Planning Board finalized its report on September 17, 2026. On September 22, 2026 the County Council voted unanimously for Bill 79-26, which extends the pause to December 31, 2027; it takes effect 14 days after it is enacted.
Who is protected: Baltimore County residents
Legal detail
Bill 3-26 ('Zoning Regulations – Data Center Study'; introduced Jan. 5, 2026 by all councilmembers): legislation detail sheet PASSED AS AMENDED, 4 amendments, ENACTED 02/04/26, EFFECTIVE 02/18/26, 7-0 roll call (motion Young, second Kach). Section 2 as enacted: until the EARLIER of Jan. 1, 2027 or 90 days after the Planning Board submits its report, (1) authority to issue or grant a data center permit suspended; (2) no County agency incl. PAI may approve any development plan or zoning petition regarding a data center, including any permit application. Section 3: Planning Board report due by Oct. 1, 2026. Recitals: Bill 54-24 (Aug. 5, 2024) first defined/permitted data centers ('light touch'). Planning Board finalized report Sept. 17, 2026 (WYPR). Bill 79-26 ('Data Centers – Extension of Temporary Controls Enacted Under Bill 3-26'; introduced Aug. 3, 2026; Legislative Day 15): re-enacts Section 2 with the end date DECEMBER 31, 2027; takes effect 14 days from enactment. Council detail sheet: PASSED, no amendments, 7-0 (Young, Patoka, Mangione, Jones, Marks, Ertel, Crandell), ENACTED N/A, EFFECTIVE N/A as of verification. expires_date 2027-12-31 is the date stated in Bill 79-26 (not computed); if 79-26 were not enacted, Bill 3-26's earlier sunset would govern. Fox45 described the extension as running to 'September 2027', which conflicts with the bill text; bill text controls. NOT ESTABLISHED: Bill 79-26 enactment/effective dates.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Baltimore County, MD |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Stronger |
| Enacted | February 4, 2026 |
| Citation | Baltimore County Council Bill 3-26 (enacted Feb. 4, 2026; eff. Feb. 18, 2026), as extended by Bill 79-26 (passed Sept. 22, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated (permitting suspension) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| Agency page | Baltimore County Council Bill No. 79-26 with Legislation Detail (passed Sept. 22, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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