Zoning & Land Use

Lakeland city commissioners voted 4-3 Monday to approve a one-year moratorium on data center development, following opposition to a planned 600,000-square-foot facility near Old Tampa Highway that would consume up to 100 megawatts of power. Critics cite concerns about energy demands, water consumption, and noise, while supporters view data centers as economically beneficial.

Spectrum Bay News 9 · Polk Co., FL

Lakeland's City Commission voted 4-3 to impose a one-year moratorium on development of large-scale data centers requiring 50 megawatts or more of power, with supporters citing the need to study impacts and establish safeguards while opponents argued the language was too broad.

Tampa Bay 28 · Polk Co., FL

Paulding County, Georgia officials voted Tuesday to halt new data center projects until January 1, 2027, while the county revises development standards following months of resident opposition over neighborhood-scale facilities and concerns about electricity costs, noise, and environmental impacts.

The Cool Down · Paulding Co., GA

Warner Robins is using a six-month moratorium on data center applications to study potential impacts on water, utilities, zoning and property values. The city will solicit community input at upcoming council meetings before determining whether data centers fit the community's character.

41NBC News · Houston Co., GA

The Rome News-Tribune · Georgia

DeSoto County, Florida, commissioners unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center applications, but the rules exempt a controversial project by DCIP Group that secured earlier rezoning approval for an initial 34 acres and requested rezoning for more than 800 additional acres as part of a roughly 1,300-acre long-term vision.

Yahoo · Florida

OpenAI's $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia was kept confidential through nondisclosure agreements with county officials until its July 22 announcement, according to a review of public records and interviews. The 1,400-acre project will require 3.2 gigawatts of power and employ at least 400 workers at an average wage of $80,000, with construction planned to begin in early 2027.

AJC.com · Chatham Co., GA

Albany, Georgia commissioners voted unanimously July 28 to impose a 12-month moratorium on new data center development while the city develops regulations and hires an outside consultant to examine best practices for the projects.

The Cool Down · Georgia

Headline onlyWAFF · also at WSFA, WSFA, WTVY

Prichard City Council's vote on a 480-day moratorium for data center projects was derailed Thursday when an unnamed entity submitted a data center application, requiring the council to hold a public hearing before the moratorium can proceed. A public hearing was scheduled for August 13.

Lagniappe Daily · Mobile Co., AL · also at lagniappemobile.com

The Paulding County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on data centers during a July 28 meeting, effective until January 1, 2027, to allow time for updating development codes. The decision followed weeks of community opposition to four technology park overlay districts that residents said were established through code amendments rather than standard rezoning procedures.

FOX 5 Atlanta · Paulding Co., GA

Prichard city leaders discussed options for addressing a proposed AI data center during a Wednesday community forum, including a temporary moratorium that could expose the city to legal challenges or creating restrictive ordinances governing the project's operation and location relative to residential areas.

mynbc15.com · Mobile Co., AL

Local governments in Alabama lack authority to block proposed data centers due to constitutional restrictions that limit home rule powers. Only Baldwin and Shelby counties have home rule authority, leaving residents with limited recourse against projects that generate tax revenue but raise concerns about power consumption and noise.

Clarke County Democrat · Mobile Co., AL

District 5 Councilman Roy Smith, II is hosting a public forum Wednesday to provide residents information about a proposed AI data center development from Edged Energy. The property is zoned for industrial use, and the city's attorney stated that a moratorium alone cannot stop the project due to existing zoning regulations.

mynbc15.com · Mobile Co., AL

Headline onlyWKRN News 2

Headline onlyWAFF · also at WSFA

Headline onlyWHNT.com

Headline onlyWHNT.com

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society sued to stop construction of a $2 billion AI data center near its planned campus, alleging the project rushed through approvals in four months versus the shelter's 18-month review process. The shelter cited concerns about noise disrupting animal operations and welfare facilities.

inkl · Jefferson Co., AL · also at the-independent.com, The Independent

Utility officials told Mobile County commissioners the proposed $6 billion to $8 billion Beacon Data Centers project will not strain local power and water resources, but residents demanded stronger guarantees and greater oversight during Tuesday's public comment session.

AL.com · Mobile Co., AL

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society sued Birmingham and developers alleging they bypassed zoning rules to fast-track a $2 billion AI data center next to the nonprofit's planned veterinary campus. The humane society claims the data center's proximity and noise could harm its future animal welfare operations.

Business Insider · Jefferson Co., AL · also at aol.com

About 50 Mt. Vernon residents gathered Monday with local officials seeking written guarantees from Beacon Data Centers regarding a $6 billion data center project planned for north Mobile County, including commitments on noise levels and succession planning. The Mobile County Commission said it lacks authority to rezone the property or halt the development.

AL.com · Mobile Co., AL

La Vergne's planning commission recommended amending zoning rules to restrict data centers to Interchange Districts only, eliminating three currently permitted zones and removing proximity to residential neighborhoods where facilities could previously be built.

WSMV · Tennessee

An industry organization representing data centers has launched a public relations campaign in Georgia, including a website and YouTube channel, while the state Chamber of Commerce established an alliance to support data center expansion. The efforts come as lawmakers debate regulations and community opposition to data center projects intensifies across the state.

thecurrentga.org · Georgia

Stillwater Development has filed to build a gigawatt-scale data center campus called Stillwater Technology Park in Lovejoy, Georgia, south of Atlanta. The project could include up to 15 buildings totaling 3.465 million square feet across 400 acres, with completion of the first phase potentially by 2031.

Data Center Dynamics · Fulton Co., GA

A pro-data center industry group established a Georgia presence in June, launching a website and YouTube channel featuring promotional content as public opposition to data center construction grows statewide. The effort comes amid failed legislative attempts to regulate or restrict the facilities and high-profile protests against projects including a proposed $20 billion OpenAI facility in Effingham County.

Georgia Recorder · Georgia · also at WaltonTribune.com, Griffin Daily News

A Caddo Parish commissioner proposed restricting temporary worker housing camps associated with data center construction, but the parish lacks authority to impose such zoning requirements without a comprehensive master plan, which Louisiana law mandates for such restrictions in unincorporated areas.

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate · Caddo Parish, LA

Fort Madison's Planning & Zoning Commission will meet Tuesday to discuss zoning ordinances related to extraterritorial zoning and high-impact developments, prompted by a proposed data center project at 2201 S. Business 61 South outside city limits.

Daily Gate City · Mississippi

An Emporia High School physics teacher was arrested for interference with law enforcement after clapping in support of data center opponents during a city commission meeting where zoning changes were approved. He was released after posting bail and plans to plead not guilty.

WBRC · also at WAFF, WSFA, WTVY

Cherokee County commissioners unanimously approved a 30-day pause on new data center development and scheduled an August 18 hearing to consider a longer extension, potentially keeping the moratorium in place until mid-February 2027, as the county lacks specific ordinances to regulate such facilities.

Yahoo · Fulton Co., GA

Augusta, Georgia commissioners unanimously voted to extend a moratorium on data center development for 60 additional days after residents expressed concerns about potential increases to water and energy costs. The city will use the extension period to gather more public feedback and examine how other communities have addressed similar facilities.

The Cool Down · Richmond Co., GA

Columbiana's city council approved a $3.5 million community impact payment from DigiPowerX, a Bitcoin mining company converting to a data center operations. The company receives a 12-month sales and use tax abatement during construction, with the city planning to use funds for infrastructure projects like sidewalk and road improvements.

WBRC · Alabama

Republican congressional candidate Case Dixon criticized special treatment for AI data centers in Alabama, arguing they should comply with the same permitting and environmental requirements as other industrial projects rather than receiving taxpayer subsidies or exemptions favored by politicians.

Alabama Political Reporter · Alabama

Two Alabama Democratic candidates—former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, running for governor, and state Rep. Phillip Ensler, running for lieutenant governor—are calling for a statewide moratorium on new data center development. They cite concerns about impacts on the power grid, water usage, and local quality of life, and want time for environmental review and public input before approving projects.

AL.com · Alabama

Residents in Foxborough, Lowndes County, are voicing concerns about a possible data center after the county rezoned approximately 719 acres to Light Manufacturing in July 2025. Though no formal proposal has been submitted, residents cite worries about noise, water usage, traffic, and property values.

WALB · Georgia

OpenAI secured a 25-year power contract with Georgia Power for 3.2 gigawatts to support a $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia. The secretive deal sparked community backlash, with nearly 1,000 residents attending a contentious meeting to voice concerns about noise, traffic, and environmental impact.

Tech Times · Georgia

Nashville's Metro Council advanced legislation Tuesday that would allow the city to seize an Atlanta-based company's property via eminent domain to prevent a data center construction next to the Nashville Zoo, which claims the facility's noise would stress endangered clouded leopards.

Reason Magazine · Davidson Co., TN

Nashville Banner · Davidson Co., TN

Nashville's Metro Council approved a pause on new data center permits through December and added zoning regulations for noise, water use, and construction distances from schools. The actions follow mounting opposition to a DC Blox facility proposed near the Nashville Zoo, which Mayor Freddie O'Connell is seeking to block through eminent domain.

The Cool Down · Davidson Co., TN

Nashville's Metropolitan Council approved a moratorium on data center development through December 10 and enacted regulations banning such facilities within 100 feet of churches, daycares, schools, or zoos, and large data centers within 2,640 feet of these locations. The action followed opposition to a proposed 70,000-square-foot facility near the Nashville Zoo.

The Black Chronicle · Davidson Co., TN