Current Status: Active (Extended through August 25, 2026)
Update: Moratorium Extension
Following a public hearing on February 9, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners voted to extend the temporary moratorium on data center facilities. This pause on new applications will remain in effect through August 25, 2026, to allow staff adequate time to develop land use regulations that address the specific impacts of these facilities.
Background
On January 27, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution establishing a temporary moratorium on the acceptance and processing of land use applications for new Data Center Facilities within unincorporated Larimer County.
Resolution Extending the Moratorium - coming soon
Why is this necessary?
Data centers—often referred to as digital infrastructure or high-intensity computing facilities—can have significant impacts on local infrastructure and resources. Specifically, the County is reviewing:
- Water Consumption: The high cooling demands of industrial-scale computing.
- Power Usage: The significant electrical load required to operate these facilities.
This temporary moratorium allows the Community Development Department to research best practices and draft appropriate Land Use Code definitions and standards to ensure that any future development is compatible with the County’s infrastructure and resource goals.
What does this mean for potential applicants?
During this period, Larimer County will not accept new land use applications for facilities that fit the description of large-scale digital data processing, networking equipment, or industrial-scale computing.
Questions?
If you have questions please contact the On-Call Planner at Planning@larimer.org or call (970) 498-7683.
