City confirms status of controversial east Charlotte data center hearing
A hearing for a proposed 40,000-square-foot data center by The American Tower Corporation in east Charlotte has been delayed until at least November. The delay is due to the City Council's unanimous passage of a 150-day moratorium on data center development. The project has faced significant community opposition over its proximity to homes and parks.
The Charlotte City Council has enacted a 150-day moratorium on data center development, effectively delaying a public hearing for a controversial facility proposed by The American Tower Corporation in east Charlotte until at least November. The hearing was originally scheduled for Monday.
The American Tower Corporation plans to build a 40,000-square-foot data center near the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve off Hood Road. This development requires city council approval to rezone a 58-acre parcel, which the corporation already owns and where it operates a communications tower, for data center use in a predominantly residential area.
Since its announcement, the project has encountered significant community opposition, leading the company to defer its hearing date multiple times. Residents and city leaders have expressed concerns about the operation of such a facility, regardless of its size, so close to homes and parks. The moratorium, which the City Council passed unanimously, will last until November 5, allowing city staff to study data center facilities and consider new regulations within state law. Existing approved projects will proceed unaffected, but unapproved proposals like this one will remain on hold.