Spokane County is giving itself six more months before it takes data center applications again.
County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday, Oct. 20, to extend the pause on data center construction from Dec. 15, 2026, to June 1, 2027, KXLY reported.
The original pause was set to run out in less than two months.
A heated meeting
The vote came after a contentious public meeting. Residents and college students gathered outside the county building to oppose data center development in the region, KXLY reported. Students from local colleges walked out of afternoon classes to attend.
Opponents said extending the pause isn't enough. They want the county to adopt a formal moratorium instead, saying it would provide stronger protections and more time to write zoning rules.
"This is not going to stop them. We need better language, we need stricter requirements and we need a moratorium," a Spokane resident named Spencer said, according to KXLY.
"We need a strong airtight moratorium that's going to give us proper time to work an ordinance," another attendee said.
One resident said she worried about health effects and "an exploitation of our natural resources at no benefit to the local economy."
Pause or moratorium?
County officials told the crowd the pause carries the same legal restrictions as a moratorium, according to KXLY. Commissioners said the only real difference is the name.
The extension gives county officials and the community six more months to work out concerns and develop policy for data centers.
More talks next week
The discussion continues next week. The West Plains Water Coalition will hold a public meeting with the county's planning director, focused on possible zoning considerations for a new data center, KXLY reported. The meeting is scheduled for Monday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Airway Heights.
The West Plains, west of Spokane near Airway Heights, has been at the center of the region's data center debate.
Part of a national pattern
Spokane County isn't alone. Across the country, counties and towns are pausing data center applications while they write rules on setbacks, noise, water use, power supply and decommissioning. The pauses usually last months, and the rules that come out of them decide where and how these large projects can be built.
Water is a common flashpoint, especially in places that rely on groundwater. Residents near the West Plains have been focused on water, as the coalition's name suggests.
The timeline
- Dec. 15, 2026: Original end date of the pause.
- June 1, 2027: New end date.
- Next Monday: West Plains Water Coalition public meeting with the planning director in Airway Heights.
Why it matters for contractors
Data centers are some of the largest construction projects a region can land, with big contracts for site work, concrete, steel, electrical, mechanical and utility crews. In Spokane County, those jobs won't move forward through the county's land-use and permitting process until at least June 1, 2027.
That pushes back any new projects that hadn't already cleared the county process. Contractors who were counting on data center work in the unincorporated county should plan around the delay.
When the rules do come, they'll shape the work. Setbacks, water limits, noise standards and power requirements all affect design and bid scope. Inland Northwest contractors who want this work should follow the zoning discussions, including next week's West Plains meeting, and watch for draft ordinance language in the months ahead.
There's also a chance the rules end up strict enough to steer projects elsewhere. Either way, the next six months will decide what data center construction looks like in Spokane County.