Montgomery Co. passes new data center zoning rules, but some residents want stricter limits
The Montgomery County Commission passed zoning rules restricting the size and noise of potential data centers and added a requirement to review setbacks from homes. Some residents, including Nader Dagher and Matt Shaw, said the rules do not go far enough and called for a moratorium or ban.
The Montgomery County Commission in Tennessee approved a framework regulating future data centers, including limits on facility size and noise. Commissioners also required additional review and public hearings on how close data centers may operate to residential areas.
Residents Nader Dagher and Matt Shaw urged the county to adopt stricter measures, including a moratorium or outright ban. Attorney David Raybin warned that broad bans could lead to lawsuits developers might win, while Commissioner Joshua Beal acknowledged that the new rules leave important issues unresolved. Future authority over data center regulation could also depend on action by the Tennessee legislature or Congress.