Dear Commissioner Waldref, Thank you for responding to my email about the pause/moratorium on data centers in Spokane County. I so much appreciate you and commissioner Jordan supporting a longer moratorium until thoughtful policies for our county's future. I guess the four month pause on accepting and processing county building permits for data centers is a start. You mention public workshops that the Planning Commission is going to lead. Will any of these take place in the evening so folks who work during the day can attend? I plan to keep up to date on this process. Thank you again for listening to your constituents and taking a lead on this. Sincerely, Holly Hulse On Fri, Aug 21, 2026 at 1:55 PM Waldref, Amber AWALDREF@spokanecounty.gov wrote: Hello! Thanks for reaching out with your concerns about data center development in Spokane County. I have some good news to share. At our Board of County Commissioner meeting on 8/18, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a four-month pause on the acceptance and processing of County building permits for data centers. The moratorium is set to expire on December 15, 2026, but can be extended if more time is needed. In the interim, the County’s Planning Commission will lead a formal Zoning Text Amendment process that will include multiple public workshops and a public hearing to examine potential regulations on data centers, gather input on a final draft to present to the Board of County Commissioners to make a final decision. There will also be a public hearing in front of the Board of County Commissioners related to the moratorium within the 60 days following the vote. Commissioner Jordan and I had originally proposed adopting a longer moratorium on data centers. I voted for this pause because I felt it was necessary to stop any data centers from developing until we’ve had an opportunity to craft responsible regulations. After hearing from thousands of Spokane County residents, I’m confident that taking this step will help us avoid development that is not well-planned or does not meet the values/needs of our community. Yes, I am skeptical that four months is enough time to develop a thoughtful policy for Spokane County’s future. But this is a starting point. I will work hard to ensure your voice is heard in the process. And I will advocate for more time if needed to create a framework that protects our quality of life, natural resources, and neighborhoods. This moratorium likely would NOT have passed without the robust input of active residents like you. Thank you for speaking up! If you’d like to be added to my email list, I’d be happy to keep you updated on the ongoing discussions on this topic and when you can attend public workshops and public hearings. Sincerely, Amber