Johnson City releases data center public survey results
Johnson City released the results of its public survey on data centers, revealing that 86% of approximately 6,000 respondents are extremely concerned about potential data centers. Key concerns include noise and proximity. The city aims to address these by implementing safeguards such as noise and impact studies, special exceptions, and public hearings for future proposals.
The City of Johnson City has released the results of its public survey regarding data centers, indicating significant community concern. Approximately 6,000 residents participated, with 86% expressing extreme concern about data centers potentially coming to the city.
The primary concerns identified in the survey were noise and proximity to residential areas. Planning Manager Whitney Hodges noted that while current commercial noise thresholds might seem low, data center noise is different from regular traffic and raises specific worries. Residents indicated a preference for greater separation distances, with 500 feet being a potential consensus, beyond the city's current consideration of 200 feet.
In response to these concerns, the city is proposing several safeguards. These include requiring pre-studies and predictive noise studies for any data center proposals, along with real-time impact studies. There will also be a special exception process requiring approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals, incorporating public hearings for community input. Additionally, a yearly review with the city would be implemented, and all studies would be made publicly available to ensure transparency and accountability.