Montgomery County, MD — County Council 18-Month Data Center Moratorium (Expedited Bill 19-26)

The Montgomery County, Maryland County Council voted unanimously 11-0 on July 28, 2026 to impose an 18-month moratorium on the issuance of any data center permits by the Department of Permitting Services. The moratorium runs through approximately January 28, 2028. The council simultaneously approved a Zoning Text Amendment permanently blocking any data center larger than 25 megawatts from being built in the county. The 18-month duration was a compromise between shorter and longer proposals. County Executive Marc Elrich had previously issued a 6-month executive-order moratorium in June 2026, and the council action codifies and extends that pause. Montgomery County includes Bethesda, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Rockville; it is the most populous county in Maryland and a significant corridor for data center development interest in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.

Technical detail

Montgomery County Council unanimous 11-0 vote, July 28, 2026. Two companion measures: (1) Expedited Bill 19-26 — prohibits the Department of Permitting Services from issuing any permit for a data center within Montgomery County for 18 months, effective July 28, 2026, expiring approximately January 28, 2028; (2) Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) — blocks any data center larger than 25 megawatts from being built countywide. The 18-month duration was a compromise between a 6-month moratorium (Councilmember Glass proposal) and a 2-year pause (Councilmembers Jawando and Mink proposal). Preceded by County Executive Marc Elrich's June 2026 executive order imposing a 6-month moratorium; the council legislation codifies and extends that action. Montgomery County (county seat: Rockville, MD) is in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.

Who is protected: Montgomery County, MD residents from unrestricted data center development during the moratorium period

Who must comply: Data center developers seeking permits in Montgomery County, MD

Key facts

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