DeKalb County Commission extends data center moratorium
The DeKalb County Commission has extended its moratorium on data centers for an additional 100 days, pushing the expiration to September 30. This extension allows the planning department more time to finalize new zoning regulations that will restrict data centers to industrial areas and require special land-use permits.
The DeKalb County Commission voted at its June 9 meeting to extend a moratorium on data center applications for an additional 100 days, setting the new expiration date for September 30. The existing moratorium was scheduled to end on June 23.
The extension provides the county's planning department, led by Deputy Director Rachel Bragg, additional time to research and refine proposed regulations for data centers. The current draft ordinance aims to restrict data center facilities to industrial zones and mandate special land-use permits for most new developments. It also defines various data center sizes, including campuses exceeding 500,000 square feet.
The moratorium has been in effect since July 2025 to allow county staff to draft these comprehensive regulations. During the recent commission meeting, a motion by Commissioner Ted Terry to extend the moratorium for a year, and a subsequent suggestion by Commissioner Michelle Long Spears for nine months, both failed. The commission ultimately approved the 100-day extension based on the needs of the planning department.