Milton approves moratorium on data center developments
Milton, Georgia, has enacted a 30-day moratorium on data center applications to allow city staff to draft amendments to the Unified Development Code. This action was prompted by resident concerns about the lack of policy surrounding data centers and their potential impact on power and water supply. The City Council unanimously approved the temporary halt.
The Milton City Council in Georgia unanimously enacted a 30-day moratorium on data center applications on June 15. The temporary halt is intended to provide city staff with sufficient time to draft potential amendments to the Unified Development Code to address data center developments.
City Attorney Ken Jarrard explained that the purpose of the moratorium is to ensure the city is prepared should it receive an application for a data center. The decision followed concerns raised by resident Dr. Cameron Howard at an earlier council meeting in June, who expressed worries about Milton's lack of data center policy and the potential strain on power and water supplies. Howard specifically advocated for a moratorium to prevent the city's remaining land from being converted into data centers.
While Georgia is among the top states for data centers, the closest existing facility to Milton is in Alpharetta. The moratorium will allow the City Council to host a public hearing in early July to consider possible new regulations before it expires.
The meeting also saw the approval of an intergovernmental agreement with Alpharetta for housing inmates, aiming to reduce officer travel time to Atlanta jails and improve police morale and efficiency.