Athens City Council passes data center moratorium
Athens City Council unanimously passed a one-year moratorium on data center development, with a possible 12-month extension. This action grants the city time to study the environmental, infrastructural, and economic impacts of data centers and to develop appropriate zoning regulations. The moratorium was prompted by citizen concerns and existing data center inquiries in Athens County.
The Athens City Council, returning from its July break, unanimously passed a one-year moratorium on data center development in the city. Introduced by Finance and Personnel Committee Chair Jessica Thomas, the moratorium, now Ordinance 70-26, allows Athens to study the comprehensive impacts of data centers, including land use, infrastructure, environmental, economic, and community effects, and to develop specific zoning regulations before issuing building permits.
The decision was spurred by a concerned citizen and supported by Mayor Steve Patterson, who noted the rapid emergence of data centers in Athens County. Community members, including Rob Delach and Austin Markwell, spoke in favor of the legislation, with Delach highlighting that Athens Township had also recently passed a similar moratorium due to a lack of zoning code. The council amended the initial proposal to generalize the language, removing specific mentions of artificial intelligence, after it was noted that not all data centers are designed for AI applications.
Despite the unanimous passage in a session where President Micah McCarey and Councilman Alan Swank were absent, Councilman Michael Wood cautioned that this measure is not a complete solution. He emphasized that the city's moratorium would not affect data center projects outside city limits and urged continued community involvement, suggesting advocacy efforts be directed towards county commissioners who have jurisdiction over the entire county.