The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Woodbury County
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Neutral Data Center Policies
Woodbury County has enacted a 12-month pause on applications to build or expand data centers in unincorporated areas. Existing centers may keep operating, and routine repairs and upgrades that do not expand them are exempt.
Rating from Iowa statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Woodbury County.
Specific to Woodbury County only.
current law · Unincorporated areasProhibits new data-center development applications in unincorporated Woodbury County for 12 months, while allowing existing facilities and routine maintenance.Woodbury County Resolution No. 14064 (2026)
What this means
For 12 months, the measure would block applications to build or expand data centers in unincorporated Woodbury County, creating a major development delay (the moratorium lasts twelve months). Existing facilities could keep operating, and routine repairs and non-expansion upgrades are exempt.
Timing
- Ends
- twelve (12) months from the date of adoption
The moratorium applies to unincorporated Woodbury County and may be earlier rescinded or extended by subsequent Board resolution.
People behind it
- Woodbury County Board of Supervisors
Adopted and approved the twelve-month moratorium resolution.
- Mark Nelson
Moved approval of the moratorium resolution, chaired the Board, and signed the resolution as chairman.
- Matthew Ung
Seconded the motion to approve the moratorium resolution.
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- Woodbury County Zoning Commission
Directed to review zoning-permitting procedures for industrial data centers and prepare recommendations for the Board.
- Community and Economic Development (Planning and Zoning)
County staff department directed to conduct the data-center zoning review and develop proposed regulatory standards.
- County Attorney's Office
Directed to advise on the legal and regulatory implications of proposed zoning changes.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements1
For 12 months from adoption, the County prohibits accepting, processing, considering, or approving any zoning, subdivision, site-plan, conditional-use, building-permit, rezoning, or other development application for any type or class of data center in unincorporated Woodbury County. The prohibition applies broadly to facilities involving centralized digital-data storage, processing, or transmission, including enterprise, colocation, hyperscale, server-farm, and cloud-computing facilities. It does not apply to legally operating existing facilities, applications with all required final approvals before the resolution took effect, or routine maintenance, repairs, or non-expansion upgrades to existing lawful facilities.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3
Legally established data centers already in operation are exempt from the moratorium and may continue operating.
Applications that received all required final approvals before the resolution took effect are exempt from the moratorium and may proceed.
Existing lawful data centers may undergo routine maintenance, repairs, and upgrades, provided the work does not expand the facility or establish a new data-center use.
Sources
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