Westfield's town council voted unanimously Tuesday night to advance a ban on data centers across every zoning district in town, a move local officials describe as closing a gap in zoning rules before any such facility could seek approval. Ward 4 Councilman Drew Pecker recused himself from the vote.
The council introduced General Ordinance 2026-25 at its regular meeting on November 10, according to TAPinto Westfield. The measure amends the town's land-use ordinance by defining data centers for the first time and expressly prohibiting them in all zone districts, eliminating what officials describe as ambiguity in the existing code. Mayor Jeremy Berman said data centers are not currently permitted anywhere in Westfield under existing zoning uses, and the town code does not specifically define or address them as a category at all.
Berman framed the ordinance as a proactive step rather than a response to any pending application, saying it would help the town anticipate challenges, protect the community and align zoning law with residents' interests, per the same TAPinto report. The council reportedly heard concerns from resident groups about potential local impacts of data centers before Tuesday's meeting.
One Councilman Explains His Yes Vote
Not every council member framed the ordinance the same way. Ward 4 Councilman David Kiefer said he would vote in favor because data centers simply do not fit the town, even as he argued the facilities can benefit the country when approached thoughtfully. Kiefer said he opposes a nationwide blanket ban or national moratorium on data centers, drawing a distinction between local zoning control and broader federal policy.
The ordinance was introduced through the Code Review and Town Property Committee and now heads to the Planning Board for review. If the board signs off, the measure returns to the full council for a second reading and final-passage vote, the report notes.
A Union County Precedent Next Door
Westfield's push follows other Union County municipalities' efforts to restrict data centers, the TAPinto report notes, including a data center already approved at the former Merck site on Galloping Hill Road in nearby Kenilworth. That approval has become a reference point for officials elsewhere in the county weighing whether to act before a similar proposal lands in their own town.
Part of a Statewide Wave — With Disputed Numbers
Westfield is hardly alone. More than 100 New Jersey municipalities have adopted data-center bans or moratoriums this year, according to NJ.com. Counts of exactly how many towns have acted vary: a statewide list maintained by the Pinelands Alliance and last updated October 20 put the figure at least 110, naming 104 towns plus Mercer County, while the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions put the number as high as 122 towns with some form of ban or restriction, as reported by the Press of Atlantic City on November 3 and relayed by SNJ Today.
Earlier in October, Cranbury in Middlesex County approved its own ban, with Colts Neck in Monmouth County following a day later, per NJ.com. Colts Neck officials said data centers were technically already prohibited under zoning rules barring uses not expressly allowed, but the new ordinance made that prohibition explicit — language that mirrors the gap Westfield officials say they are now closing. Stanhope, Hamburg and Little Egg Harbor introduced similar prohibitions in October, and Toms River introduced a township-wide ban in November, according to SNJ Today.
A Model Ordinance Driving the Trend
Much of the wave has been shaped by a model ordinance shared by Warren County and the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, which makes data centers a non-permitted use in every zone and defines them broadly enough to cover the substations, generators and cooling systems that typically accompany one, SNJ Today reports. State officials said more than 80 data centers already operate in New Jersey, according to a May report from News 12 New Jersey cited by SNJ Today. Gov. Mikie Sherrill has resisted calls for a statewide moratorium, instead pursuing tighter regulation, per NJ.com.
Westfield's own zoning code requires that all uses and construction conform to the regulations set for the applicable zone district, and that no development proceed without zoning approval, a construction or demolition permit, or a certificate of occupancy, as applicable, according to Article 12 of the town code. Whether General Ordinance 2026-25 clears the Planning Board and comes back for a final vote remains to be seen.
