Zoning & Land Use

Bisnow · Florida

Lake County commissioners voted unanimously to extend a moratorium on large-scale data center development through June 2027 while exploring regulatory options. Public hearings on the proposed ordinance are scheduled for November 17 and December 1.

Mid Florida Newspapers · Florida

DeSoto County planners recommended denying a rezoning request for a proposed 238-acre data center citing unanswered questions about the project's power, water, and wastewater needs. County commissioners must still decide whether to advance the 3-F Ranch proposal, which would allow up to 1.8 million square feet of buildings.

The Cool Down · Florida

Data centers have emerged as a prominent midterm issue, with Ohio—home to over 200 data centers—drawing particular attention. Voters in 10 states face 41 ballot measures on rezoning, amending, or banning data centers, with 21 measures across 18 Ohio communities brought by local activists concerned about environmental and lifestyle impacts.

WKRC · Florida

A judge dismissed a shell company from a lawsuit over a Birmingham data center construction project Wednesday, finding it couldn't be held legally responsible for zoning decisions or construction nuisances. The judge also dismissed three of eight counts against the remaining defendants while keeping residents' primary challenges to the project's permits alive for trial in March.

WBHM · Jefferson Co., AL

Kansas City's City Council will vote Nov. 12 on whether to approve approximately $20 million in tax breaks and $572.5 million in bond authorization for The Constant Company, an AI data center operator in the Northland, a proposal opposed by a local watchdog group citing minimal job creation.

Hoodline · Florida

Tampa City Council directed staff to stop processing new AI data center applications, advancing a proposal that could reshape how the city regulates the industry. The council has not yet adopted a formal moratorium ordinance and will consider a resolution at its Nov. 5 meeting, with public hearings scheduled for December and January.

Hoodline · Hillsborough Co., FL

Tampa City Council approved a motion to halt new artificial intelligence data center applications and develop a temporary moratorium on such facilities. The proposal, introduced by Chair Alan Clendenin, directs staff to prepare regulations and schedule public hearings in December and January.

Florida Politics · Hillsborough Co., FL

DeSoto County commissioners deadlocked 2-2 on October 27-28, 2026, rejecting rezoning applications for an 825-acre data center campus near Arcadia proposed by DCIP Group. The failed votes prevent the expansion of an already-approved 34.22-acre site, though future revised proposals remain possible.

Construction Review · DeSoto Co. (FL), FL

Southeast Georgia cities are receiving data center development inquiries following OpenAI's announced $20 billion Effingham County project. Communities across Bulloch, Bryan, Effingham and Liberty counties are implementing moratoriums and developing ordinances to regulate data center development, with concerns about water infrastructure and power grid vulnerability.

Statesboro Herald · Effingham Co., GA

The Rome News-Tribune · Georgia

Jefferson County has approved a technology zoning ordinance that includes regulations for data centers, joining other CSRA counties in establishing such rules. County commissioners cited economic concerns including workforce decline and rising taxes, though some citizens opposed the measure citing agricultural character and insufficient neighbor protections.

WRDW · Georgia

Mississippi's state auditor has opened an investigation into Walls following allegations, though the inquiry's subject and any connection to a contentious rezoning dispute remain unclear. The investigation coincides with residents' opposition to a rezoning request for over 1,000 acres of farmland that could potentially accommodate a data center.

Hoodline · Mississippi

The NAACP and Young, Gifted & Green launched "Climate on Your Ballot," an election dashboard tracking 1,727 data centers nationwide, allowing residents to find candidates' positions on environmental issues like data center development, electricity costs, and water usage ahead of November elections.

Mother Jones · Shelby Co., TN

Lake County commissioners extended the county's data center moratorium through June 2027, temporarily pausing development while officials develop local regulations. The extension carries the moratorium beyond the next legislative session in Tallahassee and reflects majority commission support for the temporary pause rather than a permanent ban.

WFTV · Leon Co., FL

DeSoto County commissioners deadlocked 2-2 on rezoning nearly 238 acres for an artificial intelligence data center near Arcadia, killing that portion of the proposal. A second hearing on an additional 553 acres is scheduled for Wednesday.

WINK News · DeSoto Co. (FL), FL

Southeast Georgia cities and counties are implementing data center moratoriums and developing stricter ordinances to manage growth anticipated after OpenAI's announced 1,400-acre Effingham County campus, citing concerns about water infrastructure and power grid vulnerability in a region previously considered unsuitable for such facilities.

Bryan County News · Effingham Co., GA

Savannah is seeking public input on proposed zoning regulations for data centers, which would define the land use and establish development standards addressing location, proximity to sensitive areas, and management of noise, water and electricity. The city aims to present the ordinance to City Council with adoption recommended for January 2027.

WJCL · Chatham Co., GA

Georgia is developing 120 data center projects planned or under construction, with major proposals including OpenAI's Project Camellia near Rincon at 3,210 megawatts and the Bridgeport campus near Moreland at 1,500 megawatts. Metro Atlanta dominates activity, with Fulton County leading at 74 existing facilities and proposed projects.

mainstreetnews.com · Fulton Co., GA

A proposed 542-acre data center campus near Eatonton in Putnam County would include up to 11 buildings consuming 520 megawatts of power, with a $3.5 billion estimated value and 2031 anticipated completion. The project faces a county moratorium on data center permits extended through November 2026 and requires local zoning approvals.

Construction Review · Georgia

Columbia County chair candidates Cambrey Wood and Alison Couch discussed data centers, traffic and growth at a library forum. Both prioritized public safety funding and slower residential growth, though they differed on data center development and approaches to managing county expansion.

WRDW · Columbia Co. (GA), GA

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White's office opened an investigation into the town of Walls amid contentious local debate over rezoning and a potential data center development. Few details have been released, and no findings of wrongdoing have been made.

DeSoto County News · Mississippi

A subsidiary of Elon Musk's xAI is offering to purchase homes in Southaven, Mississippi, on the condition that residents release claims related to a lawsuit against the company's nearby data center and power plant. The offer reportedly affects around 418 homes, with some renters already being displaced after landlords agreed to sell.

The Verge · DeSoto Co., MS

The Trinity Town Council postponed a rezoning decision Monday on 184.12 acres after more than 50 residents voiced concerns about potential industrial development, including a possible data center, near their neighborhoods. The council tabled the ordinances until Nov. 9 to research possible restrictions on future development.

Decatur Daily

Headline onlyFOX 5 Atlanta · also at FOX 5 Atlanta

Irondale is developing an ordinance to regulate data centers as a precaution, according to Mayor James D. Stewart Jr., who emphasized the city is not actively recruiting such facilities. The proposed regulations address power and water usage, noise protections, and require developers to present plans to council before adoption, with a vote scheduled for December 15.

WBRC · Alabama

Trinity's Town Council delayed a vote Monday on a proposal to rezone nearly 184 acres for light and heavy industrial use after more than 50 residents spoke against the plan, citing concerns about impacts to nearby neighborhoods. The council will revisit the rezoning request at its November 9 meeting.

WAFF · Alabama

The Venice City Council adopted a 12-month moratorium on large-scale data center applications and permits, effective immediately, to allow staff time to review impacts on utilities, water supply and environmental concerns including wetlands and coastal ecosystems. The moratorium covers comprehensive plan amendments, rezoning, conditional uses and related applications.

ABC7 WWSB · Florida

DeSoto County commissioners will vote Tuesday on a rezoning proposal for a 238-acre data center with up to 1.8 million square feet of buildings. The planning commission recommended denial in October, citing insufficient details and concerns from neighbors about water and power usage, noise, and compatibility with county growth plans.

WINK News · Florida

Ascension Parish officials approved a 90-day moratorium on data center development, delaying a council vote on proposed regulations. The moratorium allows officials time to finalize guidelines before the ordinance returns for consideration in January, as residents voice concerns about environmental and quality-of-life impacts.

The Advocate · Louisiana · also at The Advocate

The NAACP and Young, Gifted & Green launched "Climate on Your Ballot," an election dashboard tracking 1,727 data centers nationwide to help residents find candidates' positions on environmental issues affecting their communities. The tool allows users to explore data centers near their homes and request answers from candidates about concerns including electricity costs, water usage, and pollution risks.

Capital B News · Shelby Co., TN · also at Yahoo

The Shelby County Board of Commissioners deferred voting on two data center-related ordinances Monday, following Memphis City Council's passage of a 135-day pause on new data center approvals. Commissioners cited a need for additional time to gather community and expert feedback on proposals addressing resource costs and a potential moratorium.

Memphis Flyer · Shelby Co., TN

Walker County's data center study committee completed its review of a draft ordinance on October 22, recommending restrictions including prohibitions in historic districts and wetlands, mandatory decommissioning bonds, generator testing limits, and requirements for closed-loop cooling systems and industrial park locations.

Local 3 News

River Falls City Council will not approve any data center proposals until the city updates its ordinances, an approach council member Sean Downing termed a "silent moratorium." The decision came after residents packed a city council meeting to oppose a potential hyperscale AI data center over environmental and quality-of-life concerns.

www.riverfallsjournal.com

Memphis City Council approved a 135-day moratorium on data center development after an 18-month proposal failed, disappointing residents and advocates who say the shortened pause inadequately protects predominantly Black neighborhoods from environmental hazards associated with AI expansion.

Word In Black · Shelby Co., TN · also at America's Black Holocaust Museum

Headline onlyWKNO FM · Shelby Co., TN

Residents gathered outside Memphis City Hall on October 20th to demand a pause on data center development. The city council passed a 135-day moratorium on data center development and a resolution calling for the removal of ICE and the National Guard from Memphis.

Memphis Flyer · Shelby Co., TN

A Talbot County judge voided a zoning amendment adopted July 6, 2026, that would have permitted data centers and hyperscale data centers in agricultural and forestry districts, finding the county failed to follow required procedures including proper notice and public hearings.

Now Georgia · Georgia

JoCo Report · Dallas Co., AL

Irondale is developing a zoning ordinance to regulate potential data center operations despite no current proposals, establishing a conditional-use approval process requiring City Council review before any such development could proceed. The proposal addresses community concerns while the city pursues broader economic development goals.

WBMA · Alabama · also at WBMA