County Data Center Committee convenes, seeks moratorium extension as a priority
The newly formed Bulloch County Data Center Committee met for the first time and identified extending the county’s data center moratorium as a priority. The moratorium on permits in the county’s unincorporated area expires Dec. 31, and commissioners may extend it for up to 180 days while the committee develops zoning and policy recommendations.
The Bulloch County Data Center Committee held its organizational meeting with 15 citizen members and elected Dr. Frank Davis as chair and Glenn Womack as vice chair. Created by the Bulloch County Board of Commissioners, the committee will assess the technical and community impacts of data centers and recommend rules for the county’s draft data center zoning resolution and related policies.
The county has repeatedly extended a temporary moratorium on data center permits in unincorporated Bulloch County, and the current pause is set to expire Dec. 31. Committee members voted to make a request for another extension a priority at their next meeting; County Commission Chairman David Bennett said the board could legally extend the moratorium for up to 180 days. Future discussions are expected to address water use, power supply, environmental effects and potential community benefits before the committee issues its recommendations.