Nashville residents rally against data centers while Metro Council weighs a moratorium
Nashville residents, led by the group No New Data Centers, are opposing a proposed DC BLOX data center near the Nashville Zoo due to concerns about noise, vibration, and health impacts on animals and the community. The Metro Council has passed a temporary moratorium on data centers on its first reading, while the Nashville Zoo has filed a zoning appeal to overturn previously approved permits for the project.
Residents of South Nashville, Tennessee, are actively opposing a proposed data center by Georgia-based DC BLOX near the Nashville Zoo. The project involves a nearly 70,000-square-foot facility, with plans for a potential second 200,000-square-foot building and an electrical substation, collectively capable of 50 megawatts of power.
Drew Small has organized a grassroots group, No New Data Centers, to raise awareness about the potential health and environmental impacts, including concerns about noise, vibration, bright lights, and generators affecting both animals and human residents. Dr. Heather Schwartz, the Nashville Zoo's head veterinarian, spoke before the Metro Council, emphasizing the disruption such an environment would cause to the animals' well-being. The zoo has also taken legal action, with its land-use attorney filing a zoning appeal to challenge previously approved permits.
In response to growing community concerns, the Nashville Metro Council has passed a temporary moratorium on data center development, covering zoning, building, and grading permits across Davidson County, on its first reading. This moratorium, which still requires further approvals to be enacted, could impact the DC BLOX proposal and another potential data center project near Fisk University. DC BLOX has released a statement addressing the community's concerns.