Montgomery County Council members heard a common theme during a public hearing on data centers Tuesday: the need to slow down.

Public comment at Tuesday’s meeting combined two measures: one, a bill that would create a 15-member task force to study the potential risks and benefits of data centers; and a second, a zoning text amendment that would restrict data centers to areas already zoned for industrial uses.

A number of people testified in support of the formation of a task force, but wanted to see amendments to the bill.

Karen Metchis, testifying on behalf of the Sierra Club, told the council, “The composition of the task force must be fair and balanced. As written, it leans heavily on industry.”

The word “moratorium” came up multiple times as residents testified on the zoning text amendment that would limit data centers to industrial zones.

Doug Siglin, a volunteer with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said, “Several people today are asking you for a pause. We think that’s right. Data centers may be inevitable, but they’re coming at us way too fast.”

But Scott Wallace, with the Miles & Stockbridge law firm, spoke on behalf of Atmosphere DC, the developer of a potential data center campus in Dickerson.

Wallace told the council: “The moratorium would significantly delay and quite possibly derail the project.”

“A moratorium is not necessary, because the unique characteristics of the Dickerson site and Atmosphere’s design of the project already mitigate community impacts,” he added.

Olivia Burlingame, a county resident, posed questions to the council.

“What problems are these data centers really going to solve for us?” she asked. “Is there a real need being addressed by new data center construction and infrastructure in our county? I don’t think so.”

But Burlingame said she supports the zoning text amendment that restricts data centers to industrial zones.

A joint council committee work session on the task force bill is set for March 9.