Jackson postpones hearing on proposed data center rezoning
The city of Jackson, Mississippi, has postponed a rezoning hearing for a proposed data center by Saxum Investment Company until June, following strong local opposition. This delay was requested by the developer to allow for more community engagement. Concurrently, the Jackson City Council is considering a six-month moratorium on new data center projects to study their impacts.
A rezoning hearing for a potential data center in Jackson, Mississippi, has been delayed until June at the request of the applicant, Saxum Investment Company. Attorney Robert Ireland of Watkins and Eager, representing Saxum, stated the need for additional community and city engagement as the reason for the postponement. Saxum seeks to rezone approximately 190 acres in northwest Jackson, including a horse track near the Presidential Hills neighborhood, from residential and commercial to heavy industrial use. The company plans to address community concerns regarding noise, emissions, and utility burdens by aligning with the city's proposed data center standards.
The delay follows strong opposition from residents, who criticized the lack of transparency in the process. Matt Casteel, whose family farm is within the proposed site, highlighted the local resistance. Simultaneously, the Jackson City Council is deliberating a six-month moratorium on new data center projects to study their impacts, though the city attorney's office warned about potential due process violations if not properly noticed. Council President Brian Grizzell defended the moratorium as a means to gather information.
Ireland noted that a data center of this scale could generate significant revenue for Jackson and its school district over a decade, emphasizing the limited window for the city to attract such projects amid a regional race for data center development. Mississippi currently has seven confirmed data centers in various development stages. While some officials welcome the investment, others are concerned about high energy consumption, water use, noise, and pollution. A public hearing is scheduled for June 22 for residents to discuss data centers and zoning issues.