WALKER COUNTY APPROVES TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS

The Walker County Board of Commissioners approved a temporary moratorium on data centers at their July monthly meeting. The temporary moratorium prohibits the acceptance of any application relating to locating a data center in the county for 30 days.

During that time period, the county will follow the steps necessary to extend the moratorium an additional 180 days. This includes holding a public hearing on the topic of data centers at the Board’s next meeting on August 6th.

Extending the moratorium period will provide the county attorney and other staff members time to review the county’s zoning code and propose amendments that will enhance, mitigate and regulate this specific form of land use. Some of the topics to be considered include allowable zoning districts, setbacks, buffers, noise, lighting, water and electricity demand, environmental impacts and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

Amendments to the county’s zoning code require a public hearing at the Planning Commission and a  public hearing of the Board of Commissioners before they can be enacted. Proposed amendments are anticipated to be considered early next year.