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The Data Center Divide

Washington County

Slightly Anti-Data Center Policies

Oregon’s rules limit some tax incentives and impose higher rates, long-term contracts, and other costs on large data centers served by covered utilities; temporary permitting and state-land pauses can delay certain projects, but do not ban development statewide.

Rating and summary from Oregon statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Washington County.

Specific to Washington County only.

pending · Unincorporated areas
Would express the county’s opposition to large standalone data centers in unincorporated areas and direct staff to assess possible future rules, but the proposal was pulled and not adopted.Washington County Resolution and Order on Data Centers (2026)

What this means

If enacted, the measure would direct county agencies to stop certain county approvals and declare a de facto pause on large standalone data center development in unincorporated areas until further review (halt unapproved requests). That creates a significant barrier to new projects, though the county’s rules already do not clearly allow data centers (not an explicitly allowed use), and the measure is limited to unincorporated areas rather than existing data center operations.

Timing

Ends
until the Washington County Data Center Workgroup presents its findings and the Board has an opportunity to consider them

The proposed amendment declares a de facto moratorium on large-scale or standalone data center development until that event. Separately, it directs county agencies to halt unapproved easements, rights-of-way, rentals, permits, and property transactions facilitating such centers until the County has community development codes in place. The resolution was pulled from the October 6, 2026 agenda and marked not approved.

People behind it

  • Washington County commissioner who recommended amendments to the proposed Data Center Resolution and Order.

  • County governing body that directed staff to prepare the resolution and was scheduled to consider its adoption.

  • County department identified as responsible for the proposed resolution and involved in presenting it to the Board.

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  • County department identified as responsible for the proposed resolution and involved in presenting it to the Board.

  • Assistant County Administrator who presented the proposed resolution to the Board.

  • Assistant Director of Land Use & Transportation who presented the proposed resolution to the Board.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements7

  • The Board states that it does not currently support developing large-scale or standalone data centers in unincorporated Washington County.

  • County agencies would be required to halt unapproved requests for easements, rights-of-way, rentals, land-use permits, and sales or transfers of county-owned property that would facilitate construction of large-scale or standalone data centers. This would remain in effect until the County adopts applicable community development codes.

  • Washington County would consider itself under a de facto moratorium on all large-scale or standalone data-center development until the County Data Center Workgroup presents its findings and the Board has an opportunity to consider them.

  • County staff and employees would be prohibited from entering into, using, or signing nondisclosure agreements related to data-center development, applications, siting, operations, or projects.

  • The Board would not support using tax abatements or other financial incentives intended to create jobs and long-term employment for data centers.

  • The County would support a local moratorium when a jurisdiction determines that large-scale or standalone data-center development is likely and that pausing new applications is prudent until appropriate development regulations are adopted.

  • Under the County's existing development regulations, data centers are not expressly allowed in unincorporated areas. Rural areas lack an approval pathway, while urban unincorporated areas may offer only a potential pathway on limited Industrial or Special Industrial Overlay District properties, subject to demonstrating that the use is comparable to an allowed use.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions2

  • A previously authorized firm in an enterprise zone may continue requesting extensions and initiating or receiving property-tax abatements for up to 10 years after the zone terminates. It may also obtain subsequent authorizations and claim exemptions for qualified property, provided work begins before the end of the final tax year of the original authorization.

  • Enterprise-zone projects can receive property-tax abatements, including a three-year abatement in Hillsboro when employees are paid at least 102% of Oregon’s minimum wage, with the possibility of four- and five-year abatements when employees are paid at least 125% of the minimum wage and benefits meet the stated requirement.

Sources

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