Columbus, Georgia

Columbus City Council heard the pitch for a proposed $5.18 billion data center campus on roughly 900 acres in northeast Muscogee County, near the Harris and Talbot County line.

Choose Columbus, the city's economic development arm, says the project (named Project Ruby) could generate 195 permanent jobs paying $80,000 to $120,000 a year and about 1,500 construction jobs. CEO Missy Kendrick said hyperscalers including Meta, Oracle, and Amazon have expressed interest, though no company has been finalized. Developers would fund an estimated $30 million to extend water and sewer service to the site.

Residents pushed back during the February 24 meeting. Kayce Burdett warned the decision "could impact future generations." Troy Keller urged the council to adopt a 180-day moratorium, citing noise, light, and pavement concerns.

The project still faces multiple approval steps, including a technology overlay zoning district, rezoning, and a Development of Regional Impact review. The next public meeting is March 6.

Athens-Clarke County, Georgia

Athens-Clarke County commissioners discussed whether to outright ban data centers at a Feb. 17 meeting, with Commissioner Melissa Link calling AI "an amoral enterprise" and asking about the legal feasibility of outlawing them entirely.

The county's planning commission has proposed code amendments that would classify data centers as level-three industrial uses, require special use approval, mandate closed-loop cooling with no evaporative systems, and restrict them to industrial or institutional zones. A moratorium passed in December is set to expire March 6, but commissioners indicated they're likely to extend it.

Residents urged the commission to take more time. Multiple raised concerns of data centers of being "resource intensive structures" that have been impacting local residents due to the abnormal large large water, energy, and land demands.

Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County commissioners are expected to vote on a 180-day moratorium on new data center permits and rezoning applications in unincorporated areas of the county.

A draft resolution lists potential harms including noise pollution, air quality impacts from cooling systems and backup generators, "undesirable aesthetics," and significant effects on power and water utilities. If approved, county staff would review existing development regulations and propose ordinance changes before any new data center permits are accepted. The Cobb County–Marietta Water Authority has cautioned that some facilities can consume more than a million gallons of water per day. The moratorium would expire after 180 days or sooner if officials complete the code updates.

Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Phillipsburg Town Council voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would ban data centers in all zones.

Council Vice President Lee Clark said data centers are "a real threat to protecting residents and taxpayers from rate hikes and also massive water usage." The ordinance references the town's Master Plan, which prioritizes preserving rural character, agricultural lands, and historic heritage.

Officials cited state legislative data showing large data centers can consume 3 to 5 million gallons of water per day and require up to 300 megawatts of electricity. Statewide energy costs have increased more than 20% over the past year. A public hearing and final vote are scheduled for March 10.

Kings Mountain, North Carolina

Kings Mountain City Council voted to approve a six-month moratorium on new data center projects, citing concerns over water resources, noise, and power bills.

Residents described utility costs that have soared in recent years. Ann Sprouse said her power bill jumped from about $150 to $500 over the last two months. Kerry Leigh said hers went from about $150 to $400 in five years. Planning director Henry Earle recommended the pause, saying "there is a great deal of unknown around this use." The moratorium won't apply to existing projects that meet certain benchmarks.

Lincoln County, South Dakota

Lincoln County commissioners voted against a one-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers, opting instead to ask planning and zoning staff to study existing rules.

Commissioner Joel Arends brought the resolution after Sioux Falls petitioners failed to get enough signatures for a referendum on a data center rezoning decision. Arends argued the moratorium would let the county act "with facts and not fear."

Upper Saucon Township, Pennsylvania

Upper Saucon Township supervisors unanimously approved a data center ordinance that allows the facilities but sets strict conditional-use restrictions.

The ordinance defines where and how data centers can operate, restricting them to industrial and enterprise overlay zones with a minimum 10-acre lot. It caps noise at 70 decibels and includes requirements on landscape buffers, fencing, air quality, water and sewer use, energy use, and electronic waste. Chair John Inglis said rumors that the ordinance encourages development are false: "This at least gives us some say." Because the ordinance designates data centers as a conditional use, the board can impose additional requirements beyond what's written.

Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County Council heard calls for a moratorium during a public hearing on two measures: a bill to create a 15-member task force and a zoning text amendment restricting data centers to industrial zones.

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

Dearborn County, Indiana

Dearborn County commissioners approved a moratorium of up to one year on all rezoning proposals for commercial solar farms, battery storage facilities, and data centers at a special meeting Tuesday night.

The moratorium took effect Wednesday morning and follows strong community pushback. Commissioners said they will continue to collect feedback over the coming year.

📆 Upcoming Meetings

• Columbus, GA: Public meeting on data center campus, March 6, 2-4 p.m.
• Montgomery County, MD: Joint council committee work session on task force bill, March 9
• Phillipsburg, NJ: Public hearing and final vote on data center ban, March 10

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