A real estate company is planning a 20MW data center as part of a master planned community development in Washington, despite local officials introducing a moratorium to try and block the project.. As reported by Hoodline, Komo News, and others, Blue Fern Development is looking to develop a data center in Cle Elum, a city in Kittitas County, some 89 miles (143.2km) east of Seattle.. – Blue Fern Development.
The company aims to develop a 100,000 sq ft (9,290 sqm), 20MW data center near Interstate 90. Some $200 million could be invested in the project. The site would use a closed-loop cooling system to reduce water use..
The site is part of the 1,100-acre Bullfrog Flats master planned community property, which Blue Fern acquired in June 2025 from Sun Communities affiliate, Sun 47 North LLC.. First approved in 2002, the site has zoning for a 75-acre light industrial business park alongside more than 100 residential housing units.
The site is located west of the Cle Elum Cemetery between Bullfrog Flats Road, SR 903, and I-90.. An existing Puget Sound Energy (PSE) substation sits directly adjacent to the parcel that would host the data center, and Blue firm has submitted a power application to the utility.. Cle Elum’s city council voted unanimously to introduce a six-month moratorium on new data centers.
However, as the site reportedly already has a development agreement with the city, so its unclear if the ban would apply to the project.. Local officials told the press they are exploring how the moratorium could be applied to the project.. A Change.org petition against the development has garnered just under 4,500 signatures at time of writing..
“This proposed data center, to be situated alarmingly close to ALL of our schools in Cle Elum, poses significant risks to our environment, potentially disrupting the delicate balance of nature that many in our community rely on and those that love to visit this area in the warm summers, snowy winters and enjoy our rivers and lakes,” the petition said.. Washington-based Blue Fern describes itself as a privately held land development firm founded in 2012.
The company is traditionally focused on residential developments.. Thank you for your North American news subscription. More in Construction & Site Selection.
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