DeKalb will consider amendment to data center regulations

The DeKalb County Commission is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, March 24, in Decatur, Georgia, to deliberate on significant amendments to its proposed data center regulations. The central proposal involves removing the definition of "data center campus" from the ordinance, which would effectively cap the size of new data centers at 500,000 square feet. This amendment also aims to mandate Special Land-Use Permits (SLUPs) for all data center applications and incentivize the use of 100 percent renewable energy in new operations. The county has been actively developing regulations to address land use, permitted locations, and other requirements for data centers, including architecture, noise, and maintenance standards. Currently, the draft ordinance restricts facilities to industrial areas. Beyond the zoning amendments, the commission will also consider resolutions to establish a "For The People AI Tech Dividend Fund"—which would allocate 50 percent of tax revenue from high-technology data centers for resident equity and environmental restorations—and to require a baseline health, socio-economic, and environmental assessment before any land disturbance permits are issued for data centers.