Savannah council workshops data center ordinance, emphasizing resident input
Savannah City Council held a workshop on creating an ordinance to regulate where data centers can be built and how residents can participate before approval. The city previously passed a moratorium on data centers and is considering special-use permits for future projects, while officials say appropriately sized facilities remain important infrastructure.
Savannah officials held a workshop on a proposed data center ordinance following the City Council's passage of a moratorium several months earlier. The city currently lacks rules specifically governing hyperscale data centers, and the proposed framework would allow residents to participate directly before projects are approved.
Mayor Van Johnson said the city wants a process that considers where data centers could be located and where they would not be appropriate. City Manager Jay Melder said properly sized data centers remain critical infrastructure for Savannah, which already has facilities that have operated in the city for decades. Officials are considering treating future proposals as special-use permits requiring direct review by residents and the City Council.