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.
Cranbury Township
Strongly Anti-Data Center Policies
Cranbury township has a proposed ordinance that would ban data centers and qualifying expansions in all zoning districts, except facilities incidental to a permitted use and serving the occupant’s own business.
future law · Township of CranburyWould amend Chapter 150 to define “Data Center” and prohibit data centers in all zoning districts, citing concerns about electricity demand, water and cooling consumption, noise, environmental effects, infrastructure burdens, and planning objectives.Cranbury Township Ordinance 09-26-20 (2026)
What this means
If enacted, the ordinance would ban data centers in every Cranbury zoning district, preventing new facilities and expansions that qualify as data centers. It exempts only facilities that are incidental to a permitted use and serve the occupant’s own business operations (data centers prohibited in all districts).
People behind it
- Cranbury Township Committee
Introduced and passed the ordinance upon first reading and is responsible for considering it for final passage.
- Debra A. Rubin
Municipal Clerk identified as the ordinance’s signatory and responsible for making copies available to the public through the Clerk’s Office.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements4
Data centers are prohibited as a use in all zoning districts in Cranbury Township.
The prohibition covers facilities primarily used to store, manage, or process digital data, including facilities supporting artificial intelligence, servers, telecommunications, data storage, environmental controls, fire protection, and security systems.
Server rooms, network facilities, and computer-processing facilities are excluded from the data-center definition only when they are clearly incidental and subordinate to the principal permitted use and operated solely for that occupant’s internal business operations.
The ordinance does not take effect until 20 days after final passage and filing with the Middlesex County Planning Board.
Sources
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