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Federal Way passes 1-year moratorium on data centers
The pause covers projects above 1 megawatt or 4,000 square feet as city staff study possible code changes.
- On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the Federal Way City Council unanimously voted to implement a 12-month moratorium on data centers, immediately preventing the siting, creation, or expansion of facilities exceeding 1 megawatt or 4,000 square feet.
- Public outcry regarding the potential use of the Wild Waves site for a data center prompted the action, as Federal Way assistant city attorney Kent Van Alstyne explained that such facilities require "extreme amounts of power and water" and create "significant emissions if using fossil fuels."
- Industrial Realty Group representative Jeff Stock told officials "Absolutely not" regarding data center plans for the Podium I-5 project, confirming the site is set to potentially have "three new warehouses on it."
- Council President Susan Honda stated the moratorium provides 12 months for city staff to study data center impacts and update City Code, allowing officials to evaluate environmental effects before considering future applications.
- Federal Way joins Seattle and Burien in passing similar restrictions; with an estimated 3,000 data centers currently operating in the U.S., the city plans to hold a public hearing on Sept. 1, 2026.
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Federal Way passes 1-year moratorium on data centers
Federal Way joins Seattle, Burien and other Washington cities, which have passed similar moratoriums.
·Vashon, United States
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