Data center committee examines ordinance
Wilson County's data center committee has finalized and passed a zoning resolution, moving it a step closer to becoming an ordinance. The resolution addresses details like berm height, noise and vibration, utility capacity, and distance requirements from populated areas. The next step involves review by the county's planning and zoning committee, which may recommend extending an existing moratorium.
The Wilson County data center committee recently advanced a proposed zoning ordinance, completing its final details and passing the resolution at its September 15 meeting. The committee, led by Wilson County Planning Services Director Christopher Lawless, meticulously reviewed the draft ordinance, making amendments regarding various aspects of data center development.
Key discussions focused on berm height and state-approved vegetation to mitigate noise, noise and vibration levels (with proposed limits of 40 dBA and 60 dBC), and requirements for utility capacity from providers like Middle Tennessee Electric to prevent reliance on full-time backup generators. The ordinance also addresses third-party plan review, parking, size classifications, property line distances, and responses to noise complaints within a 48-hour timeline.
The committee also noted that Rutherford County had imposed a one-year data center moratorium, longer than Wilson County's six-month moratorium enacted in June. The resolution now moves to the county's planning and zoning committee for its October meeting. This committee has the authority to recommend extending the existing moratorium beyond its current expiration date of December 22 to ensure the resolution and subsequent ordinance are fully passed by the Wilson County Commission.