Metro Council Approves Data Center Limits After Zoo Pushback
Nashville's Metro Council has unanimously approved new regulations and a temporary moratorium on permits for large-scale data centers. This decision follows widespread public opposition, including a petition signed by over 562,000 people and pushback from the Nashville Zoo, against a proposed DC Blox data center project next to the zoo. The Mayor also proposed legislation to pursue property acquisition through condemnation.
The Nashville Metro Council has unanimously passed new regulations and a temporary moratorium affecting future large-scale data center developments. The council approved BL2026-1448, implementing a temporary moratorium on new large-scale data center permit approvals until December 1, and BL2026-1391, which introduces additional protections for future projects. Additionally, Mayor Freddie O’Connell's proposal to allow Metro to pursue acquiring the property through condemnation advanced to its second reading.
These decisions come after significant public outcry against DC Blox's plans to construct a 10-megawatt data center on a 23.49-acre site adjacent to the Nashville Zoo. Over 562,000 people signed a petition opposing the project, with residents expressing concerns about potential noise impacts on the zoo's more than 3,000 animals. Despite the opposition, DC Blox finalized the purchase of the property for $23 million just days before the council's vote, notifying the Nashville Zoo and indicating their intention to proceed with development plans. The temporary moratorium pauses permit approvals, though the exact impact on the already-in-progress DC Blox project remains uncertain.
The Nashville Zoo welcomed the council's actions as "an important step in the right direction" but emphasized that its efforts to stop the data center are ongoing. The zoo stated its commitment to preventing the facility from being built next to its grounds and expressed hope that DC Blox would reconsider its plans for the location.