Loading map…
Regbase

The Data Center Divide

City of Greenfield

This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.

Mixed Data Center Policies

Greenfield has enacted a temporary pause on new data-center construction and zoning applications for 365 days, extendable once by up to 180 days. It does not bar existing centers from operating and may end early if the zoning code changes.

Rating from Massachusetts statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for City of Greenfield.

current law · City of Greenfield
Prohibits new data center construction and development in Greenfield for 365 days, including acceptance of related zoning applications, while the city reviews its rules.Greenfield One-Year Data Center Moratorium (2026)

What this means

The measure would pause new data-center construction and development for 365 days, and the pause could be extended once by up to 180 days; it also bars accepting zoning applications for data centers (365-day moratorium). That is a major temporary obstacle, though the text does not ban operation of existing centers and the pause can end early if the zoning code is amended.

Timing

Ends
365 days after passage

The moratorium takes effect immediately and ends after 365 days, unless the zoning code is amended earlier, in which case it terminates on the amendment's effective date. The City Council may extend it once, by a two-thirds vote, for no more than 180 days; if no recommendations are forwarded after the initial 365-day period, the Council may extend it for no more than 180 days and must propose its own zoning revisions.

People behind it

  • Precinct 7 Councilor who brought forth and proposed the data-center moratorium.

  • Recommended adoption of the moratorium and was assigned to review zoning, research potential impacts, and develop recommendations.

  • Responsible under the moratorium for reviewing zoning regulations, researching impacts, consulting with city departments, and proposing revisions.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements9

  • An immediate 365-day moratorium prohibits new data-center construction and development within Greenfield.

  • During the moratorium, the City may not accept new applications or issue permits for zoning permissions or decisions intended to develop or operate a data center.

  • The moratorium may be extended once for up to 180 days by a two-thirds vote of the City Council; if no recommendations are forwarded after 365 days, the Council may use that extension period but must propose its own zoning revisions.

  • The moratorium ends earlier only if the Greenfield Zoning Code is amended regarding data centers, effective on the amendment’s effective date.

  • The use table classifies data centers as prohibited in every listed zoning district, including residential, commercial, office, general industrial, and public-institutional districts.

  • The measure creates a broad data-center definition covering server facilities and related infrastructure, including cooling systems, substations, backup generators, telecommunications equipment, and distributed or networked facilities that collectively function as one operation.

  • A facility is classified as a data center if more than 25% of its gross floor area is devoted to server racks, stationary computing equipment, or related mechanical or electrical infrastructure, or if its primary purpose is housing and operating servers and related infrastructure regardless of floor-area allocation.

  • Data centers cannot be classified as offices, warehouses, manufacturing uses, or research uses for purposes of the zoning bylaw.

  • The Building Inspector has authority to classify a facility as a data center based on its functional characteristics and energy demand, even if it does not fit one of the descriptive data-center categories.

Sources

Data provided by Regbase · Cookie preferences · Report missing data