Chatham County Commissioners approve moratorium on large-scale data centers
Chatham County Commissioners unanimously approved a temporary moratorium on large-scale data center development in unincorporated areas of the county. The commissioners debated the definition of "large-scale" and plan to research "micro data centers" during the pause, which lasts until February 16th.
Chatham County Commissioners voted unanimously to enact a temporary moratorium on large-scale data center development within the unincorporated areas of the county. The decision, made on Friday, came after debates among commissioners regarding the scope of the pause, particularly whether it should extend to "micro data centers."
While supporting the moratorium to allow for further research into the issue, some commissioners expressed concern about public misinformation and the need to gather "hard facts" quickly. The county is considering a 155-day pause, including projects that would convert existing warehouses or industrial buildings into data centers. The approved moratorium will remain in effect until February 16th, allowing county attorneys more time to define and research what could be restricted, especially concerning smaller data center facilities that might not clearly violate existing zoning ordinances. The commissioners also discussed the broader question of whether data centers should have a place in unincorporated Chatham County at all.