Board unanimously backs data center moratorium
Planning Board · Meeting of September 8, 2026
Norfolk Planning Board backs a data center moratorium and inches a 100-unit condo project forward. The board voted unanimously to sponsor a fall Town Meeting warrant article for a temporary data center moratorium running through January 1, 2028, drafted after town counsel and a model bylaw from Mansfield, the same day the governor issued a state executive order tightening data center permitting. Pulte Homes of New England, represented by Essek Petrie, and architect Dan Skolsky presented an updated design for two 50-unit condominium buildings on Liberty Lane, with Chair Chris Montfort pushing back on leaving two 2,800-square-foot commercial pads unbuilt: "I'm having a contention around the two buildings being there day one or not." The board also voted unanimously to close the public hearing on NextGrid's Pond Street solar and battery project after its hazard mitigation analysis was fully approved, and recommended resident Stephen Szyzelski for an associate member seat.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,482 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of September 8, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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