Council advances data center moratorium bylaw
The Southbridge Town Council completed first readings on a data center definition and a proposed 365-day moratorium on data center development.
Select Board · Meeting of September 21, 2026
SOUTHBRIDGE — The Southbridge Town Council completed first readings on a data center definition and a proposed 365-day moratorium on data center development. Councilor Michael Daniel flagged that the draft moratorium omitted the town's standard 14-day grace period before taking effect; the council set a summary reading for October 5 and a vote on amendments for October 19, with an effective date around November 2 if adopted. Councilor Lazo said he confirmed with the town's building commissioner that "a data center is a data center, and a library is a library," refuting a claim raised at a prior meeting.
The council also voted 7-0 to authorize separate municipal building committees for reconstruction of Southbridge's public schools and the Town Hall/39 Elm Street campus, and voted 7-0 to apply for a $7,000 Massachusetts DCR urban forestry grant requiring a $1,750 town match.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
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Source: the Select Board meeting of September 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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