Snohomish County, WA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Zoning & Siting (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SCC 30.28.032
- Adopted by
- Emergency Ord. 26-026, June 24, 2026
- Scope
- All zones, new/expanded/converted data centers
- Sunset
- Automatic repeal after 6 months unless renewed
- Overrides
- Chapter 30.22 SCC general use allowances
Summary
SCC 30.28.032 imposes a countywide moratorium blocking the filing, acceptance, processing, or approval of any application to establish, expand, or convert a use to a data center in every zone, adopted by emergency ordinance on June 24, 2026. The moratorium sunsets automatically after six months unless the county council renews it.
Pursuant to the ordinance codified in this section, a moratorium has been adopted on the filing, acceptance, processing, or approval of applications to establish or expand data centers (including as incidental uses) or change of use to data centers (including as incidental uses) in all zones. The moratorium applies to all data centers, whether as a component of a project or as the entire project for which a permit is sought. This moratorium is a specific requirement that supersedes any general regulation in chapter 30.22 SCC that could be interpreted to allow a data center. This section shall be repealed automatically within six months after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section unless renewed.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through legislation passed August 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
032. The section bars the county from filing, accepting, processing, or approving any application to establish or expand a data center, and the moratorium reaches beyond stand-alone facilities: it also covers data centers proposed as an incidental use inside a larger project, and any change of use to a data center, whether the data center function is the entire project or just a component of it. 22 SCC, the countywide use table chapter, that could otherwise be read to allow a data center use. This was adopted through Emergency Ordinance 26-026 on June 24, 2026, with an effective date the same day, reflecting the county's use of the emergency ordinance mechanism to halt permit intake immediately rather than wait through a normal notice-and-hearing cycle.
032 is not permanent: it is set to repeal automatically six months after the effective date of the ordinance unless the county council takes action to renew it before that sunset date. 22's general use allowances for the duration it remains in force.
Violations & Fines
Because SCC 30.28.032 directs the department to refuse to file, accept, process, or approve any qualifying application, there is no discretionary approval path to violate while the moratorium is active; a submitted data center application is simply not processed, and any data center use commenced without the required approvals would be pursued as an unpermitted use under the general Title 30 enforcement provisions of chapter 30.85 SCC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I currently apply to build a data center in unincorporated Snohomish County?
Does the data center moratorium cover projects where a data center is just part of a larger building?
How long does the Snohomish County data center moratorium last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Snohomish County
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