Washington County commissioners voted 3-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to formally oppose large-scale standalone data centers in unincorporated parts of the county and oppose tax incentives meant to attract them.

The vote ended weeks of disagreement over how far the county should go. Commissioners Nafisa Fai, Pam Treece and Jason Snider voted in favor. Vice Chair Jerry Willey cast the lone dissenting vote, according to the Valley Times.

The action follows Hillsboro's own steps to rein in data center growth. The Hillsboro City Council adopted its first phase of permanent data center regulations Oct. 20 and remains under a development moratorium through Nov. 24, according to the Hillsboro News Times.

The Resolution and Order (R&O) also includes three amendments restricting county property transactions, easements and nondisclosure agreements tied to data center development, the Valley Times reported. County departments cannot voluntarily grant easements or rights-of-way that would help build a large-scale standalone data center, with exceptions for legal requirements and certain road improvements. The county also cannot sell, lease or convey county-owned property for such development or enter related nondisclosure agreements unless required by law.

The resolution does not establish a formal development moratorium or ban data center construction outright.

Beyond those operational restrictions, the resolution supports Oregon's Data Center Advisory Committee, which Gov. Tina Kotek created at the beginning of 2026 to develop policy recommendations. It also backs moratoriums in jurisdictions where standalone data center development is likely.

County staff are directed to assess whether a data center-related task should be added to the Draft 2027–2029 Planning Work Program, according to a county news release.

Weeks of delays

The resolution was originally scheduled for consideration Oct. 6 but was pulled from the agenda by Willey, who is serving as acting chair following the resignation of former Chair Kathryn Harrington, the Valley Times reported. Willey said he pulled the item to give Fai more time to study the proposal.

Fai had submitted five amendments calling for tighter restrictions. During an Oct. 20 work session, Snider suggested incorporating three of them, provided county counsel could draft legally acceptable language. But Fai objected to further delays, and the session ended without consensus. Snider withdrew his suggestions.

When Fai brought the same three amendments forward Oct. 27, Snider questioned why commissioners had not reached agreement the previous week, the Valley Times reported.

Fai said her objection had been to postponing the resolution, not to Snider's suggestion. She said she would have preferred all five of her original amendments but was willing to move forward with three. Fai moved to adopt the resolution with the amendments, and Treece seconded.

Willey had favored keeping the original resolution without additional restrictions.

Limited risk, broad signal

No large-scale standalone data centers exist in unincorporated Washington County, and no applications are pending, according to county officials. County staff consider such development unlikely because available industrial parcels are generally already developed or face infrastructure constraints.

The county's land use authority applies only to unincorporated areas outside city boundaries. Cities within the county have moved separately. Forest Grove approved its own 120-day moratorium Oct. 12. KOIN reported that Clackamas County unanimously approved a temporary moratorium Oct. 22.

The Nov. 3 election includes a race between Fai and Treece to succeed Harrington as county chair.