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.
Stillwater Township
Strongly Anti-Data Center Policies
Stillwater Township has enacted an ordinance banning data centers and similar facilities in all zoning districts, including building, expanding, converting, or operating them.
current law · Stillwater TownshipProhibits data centers in every Stillwater Township zoning district by amending Chapter 240, covering facilities such as cloud-computing centers, artificial-intelligence processing facilities, cryptocurrency-mining operations, and substantially similar uses.Stillwater Township Ordinance 2026-10 (2026)
What this means
The ordinance would ban data centers in every zoning district and bar building, expanding, converting, or operating one in Stillwater (prohibited in all zoning districts). It covers data centers and similar facilities, with no stated exceptions, so its practical effect is an outright local ban.
People behind it
- Mayor Vera Rumsey
Named with the Township Committee as responsible for proposing and adopting Ordinance 2026-10.
- Stillwater Township Committee
Municipal governing body that proposed, introduced, held the public hearing on, and adopted Ordinance 2026-10.
- Committeeman George Scott
Moved to adopt Ordinance 2026-10 at the July 21, 2026 public hearing.
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- Committeeman David Manser
Seconded the motion to adopt Ordinance 2026-10.
- Valerie Ingles, Township Clerk
Directed to administer the ordinance’s notice, referral, publication, and filing requirements.
- Stillwater Township Planning Board
Responsible for reviewing the ordinance and reporting on its consistency with the Master Plan.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements6
Data centers are prohibited in every zoning district within Stillwater Township.
No building, structure, use, occupancy, redevelopment plan, site plan, or land-use approval may be established, constructed, expanded, converted, occupied, operated, or maintained for use as a data center.
The prohibition covers principal, accessory, and conditional uses, including server farms, cloud-computing centers, artificial-intelligence processing facilities, cryptocurrency-mining operations, warehouse-style data-processing facilities, and substantially similar facilities.
A data center may not be approved by interpreting an otherwise permitted commercial, industrial, warehouse, utility, telecommunications, research, or technology use as allowing it.
Any use determined by the Zoning Officer or another Township official or entity to meet the data-center definition is prohibited unless and until the Township Code is amended to specifically permit it.
The definition of data center includes associated infrastructure and equipment, such as electrical substations, transformers, backup generators, battery storage, cooling and ventilation systems, fuel storage, utility infrastructure, security facilities, and data-communications equipment.
Sources
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