Leesburg data center ordinance faces pushback ahead of city council vote
Leesburg, Georgia leaders are discussing a draft ordinance to regulate future data center developments, following a recently enacted six-month moratorium. Residents and the Planning Commission are pushing back, arguing the proposed rules are not strong enough, particularly regarding environmental standards. The ordinance, which would require special permits and address noise, odor, and setback requirements, will now go before the City Council for a vote.
Leesburg, Georgia, city leaders are actively working to establish regulations for future data center developments, just two days after implementing a six-month moratorium on such projects. City planner Robin Cayo has drafted an ordinance that would necessitate special permits for industrial projects exceeding 50,000 square feet or consuming over 1 MW of power.
Under the proposed rules, developers would be responsible for infrastructure upgrades and would need to comply with stringent noise, odor, and setback requirements. Cayo emphasized the goal is to regulate impacts rather than specific technologies, acknowledging that power and water consumption methods could evolve.
However, residents expressed concerns that the draft ordinance lacks sufficient safeguards, calling for more research and broader community input in the rule-making process. They suggested leveraging the expertise of the Lee County Planning and Zoning Office for ordinance creation and review. Following an hour of deliberation, the Planning Commission voted 4 to 1 to recommend disapproval of the ordinance, citing the need for stronger pollution standards, particularly concerning water quality.
The draft ordinance is now scheduled for a vote by the City Council on September 1st. If approved, the current moratorium will be disbanded; otherwise, the city planner will revise the proposal.