First steps to limit data centers up for a vote in Coffee Co.
Coffee County, Tennessee, is holding a public hearing and vote on zoning amendments for data centers. This follows a one-year moratorium enacted last month. The proposed changes would define data centers and limit their construction to the M-2 Special Impact Industrial District to protect agricultural land.
The Coffee County Commission in Tennessee is set to vote on the first changes to its zoning ordinance concerning data centers. This action follows the county's approval of a one-year ban on data centers a month ago, intended to provide time for establishing protective regulations.
The proposed zoning amendment aims to define data centers and restrict their construction to the M-2 Special Impact Industrial District, thereby safeguarding land primarily used for agriculture, which is the county's leading industry. Under the new rules, data centers would be classified as special exceptions within this district, necessitating adherence to specific approval conditions.
The planning commission is currently researching these conditions and expects to present them to the County Commission for a vote by the fall. A public hearing on these zoning changes is scheduled for tonight at 5:30 p.m., immediately followed by the County Commission meeting at 6:00 p.m.