Clinton amends zoning ordinance to regulate data centers
The city of Clinton, Mississippi, has unanimously approved an amendment to its zoning ordinance, defining data centers and requiring them to obtain conditional use permits. This proactive measure aims to regulate the location of data centers, spurred by recent data center developments in the area.
The Clinton, Mississippi Board of Aldermen has unanimously voted to amend the city's zoning ordinance, establishing a definition for data centers and requiring businesses to secure conditional use permits. This decision aims to proactively regulate the burgeoning data center industry within the city's jurisdiction, according to Director of Community Development Roy Edwards.
The new amendment restricts data centers, which are broadly defined to include facilities for crypto processing, AI training, and cloud computing, to I-1 and I-2 industrial zones. Edwards indicated that the city wants to "get ahead of the game" as more companies express interest in the Clinton area, ensuring these facilities are located in designated industrial areas.
The move follows an earlier announcement regarding a $1 billion AWS data center and a bitcoin mining facility, both situated along Industrial Park Drive. These existing facilities fall within the industrial zones now targeted by the amended ordinance.