Nashville Metro Council passes data center moratorium

News Clip0:39WBIR Channel 10·Nashville, Davidson County, TN·7/23/2026

The Nashville Metro Council has passed a temporary moratorium on new data centers and enacted new regulations for future construction. Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced upcoming discussions on condemnation legislation, which could allow the city to acquire land eyed for a data center near the Nashville Zoo. This follows similar actions in other East Tennessee communities.

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Gov: Metro Council, Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell

The Nashville Metro Council has enacted a temporary moratorium on new data center construction within the city, alongside implementing new regulations governing their future development. This significant move follows a trend seen in several other communities across East Tennessee. Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced that the Metro Council will also consider "condemnation legislation" at an upcoming meeting.

This proposed legislation would empower the city to acquire property adjacent to the Nashville Zoo, an area where a data center project had been proposed. The video notes that similar moratoriums have been passed in other East Tennessee localities, including Knoxville, Knox County, Loudoun County, and Anderson County, while Blount County is in the process of establishing its own regulations.