Data center ban fails in Bulloch County after narrow vote
A proposal to ban new data centers in Bulloch County, Georgia, failed after a tie-breaking vote by Chairman David Bennett. The commissioners were divided on the issue, but an existing moratorium on data center applications remains in effect. A working group was approved to study the potential benefits and develop a new zoning policy for data centers.
A controversial proposal to implement a ban on new data centers in Bulloch County, Georgia, was rejected after a narrow vote by the county commissioners. Following a 3-3 split among commissioners, Chairman David Bennett cast the deciding vote against the amendment, which would have prevented the county from issuing building permits for such facilities. Bennett expressed concerns about the legal defensibility of a ban and highlighted the opportunity for data centers to potentially lower taxes by increasing the tax digest.
Commissioner Nick Newkirk, who supported the ban, had previously visited a data center in Memphis to demonstrate its proximity to residential areas and potential noise impacts. Despite the failure of the proposed ban, the county's existing moratorium on data center applications was not repealed and remains in place.
Commissioners approved a motion to establish a working group. This group will be tasked with studying data centers to determine their potential benefits to the county and providing feedback on a draft zoning ordinance. The goal is to develop an actionable zoning policy that can be presented to the board for a future vote.