Another city to consider zoning ordinance changes to tackle data centers
Clinton, Mississippi, is considering amending its zoning ordinance to define data centers and require conditional use permits for their operation. This move follows similar actions in Ridgeland, which approved zoning changes, and Jackson, which tabled a temporary moratorium while also facing public opposition to a rezoning request from Saxum Investment Group. The efforts aim to increase local governance over data center developments amidst growing industry presence.
The Clinton, Mississippi, mayor and Board of Aldermen are currently reviewing proposed amendments to the city's zoning ordinance, aiming to establish a formal definition for data centers and mandate conditional use permits for their operations. This initiative, articulated by Director of Communications Marlee Price-Cook, seeks to provide the city with enhanced regulatory oversight over these facilities, which are currently unregulated under existing city codes.
The proposed ordinance, if enacted, would restrict data centers, including those for crypto processing, AI training, and cloud computing, to I-1 industrial zones and require them to secure specific permits. This development comes as Amazon Web Services (AWS) is constructing a $1 billion data center in Clinton and other multibillion-dollar facilities in Madison and Warren counties, following a prior crypto-mining operation by CleanSpark in the city.
The regulatory push in Clinton mirrors efforts in other Mississippi cities. Ridgeland previously approved its own zoning ordinance changes in April to better manage data centers. Meanwhile, the Jackson City Council in May tabled a proposed 183-day moratorium on data centers to allow time for zoning ordinance updates. Separately, Saxum Investment Group withdrew a request to rezone 190 acres in West Jackson for a data center project after significant public opposition. A public hearing on data center regulations is scheduled for June 22 at Jackson City Hall, with the Planning Board expected to revisit Saxum's request on June 24. The Clinton Board of Aldermen will convene on Tuesday evening at Clinton City Hall to discuss their proposed amendments.