All Georgia data center ordinances — from most to least restrictive
Numerous counties and cities across Georgia are implementing or drafting data center ordinances, driven by a rapid increase in data center development and associated community concerns. These regulations range from outright bans to detailed restrictions on operation and environmental impact. Citizen groups are actively involved in these processes, leading to legal challenges and significant policy changes in various localities.
One in five counties in Georgia currently has a data center ordinance or is in the process of drafting one, reflecting a threefold increase in such regulations since last October amid a statewide land rush for server processing centers. As of June 1, 32 counties and 21 cities are involved in enacting moratoriums or drafting ordinances to manage the rapid development of data centers for cloud computing and AI.
These projects, some ranging from 600 to 1,250 MW, bring challenges such as increased noise, millions of gallons of water use, massive energy consumption, and conversion of thousands of acres from agrarian or forest land. Ordinances vary widely; Fayetteville and Atlanta have banned data centers, while other counties provide minimal regulation. Fayetteville notably changed its unified development ordinance to effectively ban data centers after a moratorium, influenced by local opposition led by residents like Jesse Brooks and moratoriums in neighboring Clayton and Coweta counties.
In Coweta County, where four data centers are proposed despite an ordinance created in December, residents filed a lawsuit on May 5 to overturn the approval of "Project Sail," citing zoning and environmental review concerns. Activist Cyndie Roberson, who helped ban crypto mines in Gilmer County, highlights that protective ordinances, with strict requirements like limited operating hours or waste heat mandates, can function as de facto bans. DeKalb County citizens, including attorney Gina Mangham and groups like the DeKalb Coalition and Renew DeKalb, have actively worked with commissioners for over a year on data center text amendments, pushing for a ban or at least significant size and impact limitations, citing water system vulnerabilities.
Troup County and the City of LaGrange also passed ordinances in April, with Troup County enacting a stringent 17-page amendment requiring 1,500-foot setbacks and specific generator types, which advocate Cyndie Hutchings believes will deter developers. In Columbus, Muscogee County, the proposed 650 MW "Project Ruby" has led to efforts by Choose Columbus and the Columbus Consolidated Government to develop a "technology overlay" zoning ordinance, with its first reading scheduled for June 2. The Georgia Tech Energy Policy and Innovation Center has created a tool to help communities navigate these complex regulatory landscapes, as developers continue to aggressively pursue new sites.