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.
City of Hillsboro
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Slightly Anti-Data Center Policies
Hillsboro enacted a 120-day pause on new land-use applications for data centers and expansions where they are the primary use. Existing applications and operating centers are unaffected.
Rating from Oregon statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for City of Hillsboro.
current law · City of HillsboroTemporarily pauses new data center and battery energy storage system development while Hillsboro studies potential impacts and develops regulations.Hillsboro 120-day pause on new data center land-use applications (2026)
What this means
The measure would stop new applications for data centers and expansions where they are a primary use for an initial 120-day period. Existing applications could continue, and the measure does not stop existing centers from operating, but the pause would substantially delay new development and expansion.
Timing
- Ends
- 120 calendar days after adoption
The moratorium remains effective unless earlier extended or repealed. It may be extended after a public hearing and written findings that the problem still exists, reasonable progress is being made, and a specific extension duration is set; no extension may exceed six months.
People behind it
- City of Hillsboro
Responsible for administering the moratorium; the resolution directs the City not to accept, process, or approve covered applications.
- Hillsboro City Council
Determined the moratorium was necessary and approved and adopted the resolution.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
A temporary moratorium bars submission, acceptance, processing, or approval of land-use applications for new data centers or expansions of existing data centers when the data center is a primary use. A use counts as primary if it occupies more than 20% of site building space, accounts for more than 20% of original construction cost, or draws more than 20% of the site’s electrical capacity or exceeds 20 MW. The definition covers colocation, cloud computing, AI, and digital-asset-mining facilities, but excludes telecommunications centers primarily carrying voice, video, or broadband communications. Applications submitted before enactment may continue. The moratorium took effect upon adoption on July 27, 2026, and lasts 120 days unless earlier extended or repealed (moratorium and scope).
The City Council must review the moratorium within 120 days to decide whether to extend or repeal it. An extension requires a public hearing and written findings that the problem persists, reasonable progress is being made to address it, and a specific extension period is set; no extension may exceed six months (moratorium review period).
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3
Applications submitted before the moratorium took effect may continue through review; the findings say those projects are allowed to proceed notwithstanding the moratorium.
The moratorium applies only to data centers that are a primary use, so a data center that does not meet any of the resolution’s primary-use tests is outside the moratorium. Those tests include occupying more than 20% of site building area, accounting for more than 20% of original construction cost, or drawing more than 20% of electrical capacity or more than 20 MW.
The moratorium is limited to 120 days unless extended or repealed earlier. Any extension requires a public hearing and written findings, and may last no more than six months.
Sources
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