Denver pauses new data center permits for a year to write rules
Denver CO – City leaders have paused new data center applications for a year while Denver writes rules on water, power, zoning, noise and air quality.
Denver has approved a one-year moratorium on new data center applications while city leaders draft rules on water use, electricity demand, zoning, noise, air quality and neighborhood impacts.
City Council approved Bill 26-0431 on May 18, 2026, and the mayor signed it on May 20, according to Denver’s legislative record. The ordinance says the pause is temporary, not a permanent ban, and is meant to give the city time to write clearer standards before more projects advance.
The practical effect is simple: new data center proposals are frozen while the city works on guardrails. The ordinance calls for a public engagement process and a working group that includes community members, city staff, council members, industry stakeholders and subject matter experts.
What Denver is trying to address
City officials say the pause is meant to help Denver deal with concerns tied to the industry, including pressure on water and energy resources, plus possible effects on surrounding properties.
The ordinance points to standards the city wants to develop around energy and water guardrails, noise, air quality, appropriate placement and neighborhood concerns.
What to watch next
The key question over the next year is whether Denver finishes those rules before the moratorium expires. If it does, the pause could give way to a clearer permitting framework. If it does not, city leaders may need to decide whether to extend, narrow or replace the hold.
