Blount County Planning Commission passes resolution restricting AI data centers, sends to County Commission

The Blount County Planning Commission has passed a resolution that seeks to restrict the location and operation of advanced computing and AI data center facilities within the county. The resolution, which was approved unanimously by the Planning Commission, now proceeds to the Blount County Board of Commissioners for review and a final vote.

Public concern about the impact of AI data centers intensified after ALCOA announced plans to develop a data center partnership at former smelter sites, including the South Plant site in Alcoa. In response, county commissioners drafted a resolution asking the Planning Commission to define data centers within zoning ordinances and propose restrictions on their operations. While the current resolution would not affect the former South Plant site, which the Industrial Development Board plans to purchase for other uses, it sets a precedent for future developments in the county's jurisdiction.

The resolution establishes definitions for various types of data centers and limits their placement exclusively to Industrial Zones, requiring approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals as a special exception. Key restrictions include minimum setback distances from residential, school, and church zones, as well as limitations on sound, thermal, and EMF emissions. It also mandates that facilities demonstrate they can be accommodated by utilities without degrading service or requiring ratepayer-subsidized infrastructure upgrades. Initially, a 5,000-foot setback was considered but deemed impractical due to lack of available land, leading to discussions ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 feet. Commissioner Nick Bright successfully amended the setback to 2,000 feet, a distance that effectively zones out such facilities from existing Industrial Zones.

Planning Commissioner Joshua Sullins introduced adopted amendments to clarify the county's right to enforce water use reduction during droughts to prioritize residential service and expanded the requirement for a binding Letter of Attestation to cover all utilities, not just electric. The resolution will be forwarded to the Alcoa Regional Planning Commission for review and then to the County Commission, where it will require a public hearing and sponsorship by at least two commissioners before it can be placed on an agenda for a vote.