Belleville May Ban AI Data Centers: ‘Not Welcome Here,’ Official Says

BELLEVILLE, NJ — The Belleville Town Council took a step towards potentially banning AI data centers at their latest meeting.

The council unanimously voted to introduce an ordinance that would prohibit data centers as a permitted use in all zoning districts on Tuesday.

Subscribe

The proposed ordinance will have to undergo a second vote and a public hearing before it becomes law.

Mayor Frank Vélez discussed what comes next in a video message:

"Tonight, my colleagues on the township council and I voted to begin the process of prohibiting AI data centers as a permitted use in the Township of Belleville. We have heard from countless residents across every corner of our community who have expressed serious concerns about these facilities coming into their neighborhoods and the potential impact on their quality of life. As AI data centers continue to emerge across the country, Belleville residents have made it clear that they do not want these facilities in their backyards. We hear you, and we are taking your concerns seriously. We will continue to keep our community informed as this process moves forward. Our commitment remains ensuring that Belleville is a place where we can all be proud to live, raise our families, and grow."

"We want to make it clear that AI data centers are not welcome here in the Township of Belleville," Vélez said.

More than 100 towns and cities in New Jersey have banned data centers, a number that reportedly tops any other state in the nation.

Nearly one in four New Jersey residents – more than 2.3 million people – now live somewhere that has banned data centers, advocates say. The bans cross party and geographic lines, ranging from Democratic strongholds like East Orange and Jersey City to Republican towns like Stafford at the Jersey Shore and Upper Pittsgrove in Salem County.

>> RELATED: More Than 100 NJ Towns Have Banned AI Data Centers

Data centers have existed since the 1950s and have "generally been harmless" – but the rapidly expanding use of artificial intelligence is changing that, advocates say.

These days, data centers are used for storing information and running software that powers services used by nearly everyone: making online purchases, streaming shows, sending emails, processing credit cards.

Supporters of data centers say they're needed to keep pace in the rapidly growing artificial intelligence industry, arguing that the facilities also bring tax revenue to a township. Some have claimed that worries about environmental impacts are overhyped, with newer cooling systems, cleaner energy sources and existing regulations drastically softening their footprint.

Critics say that data centers consume too much power and water – jacking up utility bills and straining the local electricity grid. The facilities have been caught polluting the air with unpermitted gas generators, spilling thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into a river, and keeping residents awake around the clock, advocates say.

In somewhat related news, Belleville's yet-to-be-approved 2026 municipal budget continues to be reviewed by state administrators – who are using AI to help them examine it, the town's CFO reported at Tuesday's meeting.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.