Bowling Calls For Withdrawal Of Charles County Data Center Zoning Proposal

LA PLATA, Md. — Charles County Commissioner Gilbert “BJ” Bowling announced Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, that he has requested the withdrawal of a proposed zoning text amendment related to data centers and said he expects the Board of Commissioners to discuss both the withdrawal and the formation of a community task force at its March 3 meeting.

The proposal, Zoning Text Amendment #25-187, has been under review following a public hearing held in November, with the public comment period left open through Jan. 5. County officials received more than 150 public comments during that time, reflecting significant public interest and concern over data center development, infrastructure capacity, energy use and environmental impacts.

Bowling’s announcement comes after TeraWulf announced it is buying the Morgantown Power Plant, and as the Charles County Planning Commission delayed action on the zoning text amendment and extended its work session, citing the volume of public input and the need for additional deliberation before making a recommendation to the commissioners.

In his statement, Bowling said he believes the zoning amendment should be withdrawn in favor of a broader, community-focused approach. He said he is asking the commissioners to consider appointing a task force made up of residents to study data center-related issues and develop recommendations that could help guide future county policy outside the formal zoning amendment process.

Bowling said the Board of Commissioners is expected to address the requested withdrawal of ZTA 25-187 and the proposed task force at its March 3 meeting. If the zoning amendment is withdrawn, it would not move forward, and existing zoning regulations would remain unchanged unless a new proposal is introduced.

Watch the Feb. 2 Planning Commissioner Meeting on CCGTV

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