Another Birmingham area city approves a pause on data centers

The city of Helena is taking a measured approach to development, officially approving a six-month pause on new data centers and several other commercial projects this week.

A Growing Trend in the Birmingham Metro

During Monday night’s city council meeting, officials voted to implement a temporary ban that targets more than just technology hubs. The moratorium covers new or expanding data centers, as well as gas stations, auto parts stores, mechanic shops, and both automobile and manufactured home dealerships.

According to the city’s ordinance, this legislative time-out is deemed “necessary to preserve the status quo” while Helena’s leadership evaluates regulatory mechanisms and works to draft updated zoning amendments.

Defining the Scope

As part of the new regulations, the Birmingham suburb has officially defined a data center as any structure or facility primarily utilized to house electronic equipment for the processing, storage, and transmission of digital information.

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Part of a Wider Wave

Helena’s decision places it among at least 11 other cities and one county that have recently enforced temporary bans on data centers. While these actions are clustered around the Birmingham metropolitan area, Helena joins the majority of municipalities where these moratoriums remain in effect.

Located in Shelby County about 20 miles south of Birmingham, Helena serves a population of approximately 23,000 residents, per latest census data. The move comes as nearby communities like Bessemer and McCalla have seen significant pushback from local residents regarding the massive $14.5 billion Project Marvel data center campus, which is set to be operated by QTS.

Helena officials have not yet provided comments regarding the new ordinance. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the length of the moratorium. It lasts for six months. The story has been updated for 205focus.com.