Fort Payne approves stricter review process for future data centers
The city of Fort Payne, Alabama, has approved stricter regulations for future data center development, requiring conditional use permits and reviews by local government bodies. This decision follows a six-month moratorium on data center construction enacted by the city. Currently, no companies are proposing data centers in Fort Payne.
The city of Fort Payne, Alabama, has unanimously approved stricter regulations for future data center development. These new rules dictate that energy storage systems, which are typically associated with data centers, can only be considered under conditional use permits in areas already zoned for manufacturing and warehouse use.
Under the new process, any data center proposal will undergo review by both the Board of Zoning Adjustments and the City Council, and applicants will be required to participate in a public hearing. This decision comes three months after the city imposed a six-month moratorium on data center construction, which remains in effect until December 15th.
Fort Payne resident Ken Mayo expressed confidence in the city's handling of data center issues, stating that the process has been transparent and residents are kept informed. City leaders emphasized that the new regulations are not intended to clear the way for immediate data center construction but rather to establish a detailed plan for reviewing future proposals. They also clarified that no company is currently attempting to build a data center in Fort Payne.