Data center moratorium approved by metro Atlanta City in special meeting
The City of Forest Park, Georgia, has approved a 90-day moratorium on new data center applications. This pause is intended to allow the city to adjust its current zoning laws, which currently permit data center construction "by right." The city plans to introduce new definitions, regulations, and buffer requirements for data centers.
The City of Forest Park, Georgia, has enacted a 90-day moratorium on new data center applications. The city council approved this pause in a special meeting on Monday, according to Javon Anthony Lloyd, the city's public information officer.
City Manager Carl Geffken stated that current zoning laws permit data centers to be built "by right," which allowed Digital Realty to construct a new data center on the former Fort Gillem Army base. This Digital Realty project is expected to open in early 2028, span 97 acres, and is touted for its economic benefits and environmental remediation efforts.
The moratorium will provide time for Forest Park's planning and community development department to revise zoning ordinances. SaVaughn Irons-Kumassah confirmed that the planned changes will include new definitions and regulations for data centers, guidelines for their location, buffer requirements to distance them from residential areas, and provisions to ensure company accountability. This local action follows similar pauses in other metro Atlanta counties like DeKalb, Cobb, and Cherokee County, which have seen residents express concerns over data center construction.