Broomfield is tapping the brakes on its data center boom, at least for now. On Tuesday, City Council gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would temporarily halt the approval and construction of new data centers inside city limits. The move pauses any new permits and land-use approvals for projects that meet the proposal's definition of a data center while the city rethinks where and how these massive facilities should plug into local infrastructure.
What the Moratorium Covers
According to the City of Broomfield's council packet, Ordinance No. 2313 would stop the acceptance, processing and approval of land-use applications, site plans and building permits for new data center facilities during the moratorium period.
The pause is set to last up to 18 months or until new regulations are adopted, whichever comes first. The packet defines a "data center facility" as one with projected load requirements of at least 10 megawatts and one or more buildings that house IT equipment whose primary function is delivering IT services. In other words, this is aimed squarely at the big players, not small server closets tucked in office back rooms.
Existing Facilities and Local Concerns
Public records tracked by datacenter.fyi list a 20 megawatt JPMorgan Chase facility in Broomfield, currently the largest data center in the city.
At the meeting, councilmembers raised questions about how additional large facilities could affect local water and power systems, traffic patterns and nearby neighborhoods. The concern is less about whether data centers are coming and more about how many, how fast and at what cost to existing residents and utilities.
Broomfield’s pause comes as dozens of jurisdictions across the country consider similar freezes so they can adopt new zoning and utility rules before more large facilities arrive, a trend highlighted in national industry reporting.
Next Steps for the Ordinance
As reported by Daily Camera, the ordinance passed a preliminary vote and is scheduled for a second reading and potential final vote on July 7, 2026. Ward 2 Councilmember Austin Ward was absent from the Tuesday meeting, according to the reporting.
What This Means Locally
Developers often warn that moratoria can slow or redirect investment, while residents and utility advocates counter that pauses are sometimes the only way to avoid serious strain on water and power supplies. Broomfield’s move lines it up with other Front Range governments that have temporarily stopped approvals this spring.
Council staff say they will use the moratorium period to draft specific code changes aimed at limiting large projects' energy and water footprints before approvals resume. The real fight will likely come when those details hit the dais, but for now, the message from City Hall is clear: no new mega data centers until the rules are rewritten.
