Commissioner extends data center ban
Murray County Sole Commissioner Noah Bishop extended a data center moratorium for 12 months, citing delays from a cyberattack and uncertainty regarding data center impacts. Separately, the City of Chatsworth is also considering its own data center ordinance and a potential moratorium, despite having existing infrastructure, due to concerns about the rapid changes in data center technology and resource consumption.
Murray County Sole Commissioner Noah Bishop has extended a previously enacted 90-day moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas of the county to a new 12-month period, set to expire on July 7, 2027. Commissioner Bishop stated that the extension was partly due to delays in drafting a comprehensive ordinance for data centers, which was impacted by a recent cyberattack that affected county operations. He also expressed significant uncertainty about the long-term impacts of large data centers, indicating a desire to avoid hasty decisions without sufficient understanding of the industry's rapid evolution.
Simultaneously, the City of Chatsworth is also addressing the issue of data center development within its municipal limits. Code Enforcement Administrator Dolley Flood advised the Chatsworth City Council to consider implementing its own moratorium if an ordinance is not decided upon soon. Flood noted that while Chatsworth may not have large parcels for hyper-scale data centers, the city possesses existing infrastructure that could attract smaller operations, including crypto-mining facilities. She also highlighted the industry's swift advancements, such as data centers developing their own water tanks and exploring nuclear power sources, which necessitate careful planning and regulation.