Cobb to consider extending moratorium on data centers as staff amends zoning code

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners, including Commissioner Erick Allen, is actively evaluating the extension of a moratorium on new data center applications. This deliberation comes as county staff work to establish comprehensive zoning regulations for data centers, an industry that has emerged since the county's original zoning code was adopted over five decades ago.

The initiative aims to create a regulatory framework to manage data center development. During a work session, public commentary highlighted concerns regarding the potential noise impact of these facilities. One commenter disagreed with an analysis suggesting 65 decibels, equivalent to people chatting, was acceptable, emphasizing the continuous nature of such noise for residents.