Walker County extends data center moratorium by 180 days, creates study group
The Walker County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to extend its data center moratorium by 180 days and establish an impact study group. Residents voiced strong opposition during the public hearing, with many advocating for an outright ban on data centers in the county. The study group will assess and create data center ordinances, zoning, and environmental impact regulations.
The Walker County Board of Commissioners held a lengthy three-hour meeting on Thursday, during which it voted unanimously to extend the county's data center moratorium for an additional 180 days. Concurrently, the Board announced the creation of an impact study group tasked with assessing and developing data center ordinances, zoning regulations, and environmental impact guidelines.
The decision followed extensive public input, with many residents, including Lafayette resident Jonathan Stapleton, expressing strong concerns and advocating for a complete ban on data centers. Stapleton argued that beyond tax revenue, data centers offer no benefits to the county and conflict with efforts to preserve natural areas for outdoor activities. Other residents, like Liz Ireland from Lafayette, proposed an even longer, one-year moratorium, citing noise concerns from a data center in Rome, GA.
Chairwoman Angie Teems stated that each commissioner would select two individuals to serve on the study group, which will be charged with reporting back to the board before the 180-day moratorium expires. The county had previously sold a four-acre plot in Rossville to an unnamed Chattanooga-based logistics technology company for a small-scale data center project, which collects location data from tracking devices.