BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — The City Council will take up whether to pursue a data center moratorium after voting 6-0 Nov. 10 to place the issue on a future agenda.
The vote advanced a request from Councilmembers Lara Lant and Mike Nelson. It did not impose a moratorium, change zoning or direct staff to draft a ban.
In a Nov. 1 written request, Lant and Nelson asked the council to consider directing staff, in consultation with the city attorney, to develop and recommend a temporary moratorium.
They cited potential effects on electricity supply, water resources, utility rates, infrastructure, noise and other environmental concerns, including groundwater pollution.
“Bainbridge Island should consider whether data centers should be an allowed land use here,” they wrote.
The request distinguishes standalone data centers, large or small, from businesses and institutions that use computers, servers or energy-intensive equipment as part of their ordinary operations.
No specific Bainbridge Island data center proposal was identified in the written request. The council’s brief Nov. 10 action did not establish a date for the discussion or define the geographic scope or duration of a potential moratorium.
Residents can follow upcoming agendas and supporting materials through https://bainbridgeislandwa.portal.civicclerk.com/.
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