City Council approves extension of data center permit moratorium
Cleveland City Council approved an emergency ordinance on 2026-10-19 to extend a pause on certain development approvals for data centers. This action moves Ordinance No. 1246-2026 forward following our earlier coverage on 2026-10-10 and 2026-10-19, as the council has now moved from considering and recommending the measure to final approval.
What's in the file
The approved emergency ordinance extends a moratorium on the review and issuance of several types of applications related to data centers, including:
- Use, building, and zoning permits
- Certificates of occupancy
- Other license or permit applications, including those issued by the Department of Public Utilities
The ordinance aims to maintain this pause until the earlier of two dates: the effective date of any newly enacted or amended codified ordinances regulating data centers, or January 29, 2027. The stated rationale for the moratorium is to allow city officials more time to research and draft permanent regulations for the data center industry.
Status and timeline
- 2026-10-19: Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee recommended for approval.
- 2026-10-19: City Council approved.
Residents can verify the details of this ordinance by reviewing the official record for Ordinance No. 1246-2026 via the Cleveland Legistar website.
Source record
- File
- 1246-2026
- Type
- Emergency Ordinance
- Status
- Passed
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- October 8, 2026