Bulloch County Staff present data center guidelines
Bulloch County staff presented draft guidelines for regulating data centers, including setbacks, water systems, and noise restrictions. This comes as commissioners are set to vote on a text amendment that would disallow data centers, having previously tabled a vote to ban them altogether. One commissioner expressed opposition to moving forward with the ordinance.
Bulloch County leaders are developing a plan to regulate data centers within unincorporated areas of the county. The Board of Commissioners received a presentation on draft guidelines from Planning and Development Director James Pope. These guidelines, which outline potential regulations if data centers are permitted, include a 500-foot setback from residential properties, requirements for closed-loop water systems, and restrictions on noise and generator use.
This presentation follows a decision two weeks prior where commissioners tabled a vote on an outright ban of data centers. While no action was taken on the draft guidelines at the recent meeting, the county is still scheduled to vote next month on a text amendment that would disallow data centers as a permitted land use as of September 1st.
During the meeting, one commissioner expressed a desire not to proceed with the proposed ordinance, referencing an earlier ballot question. The discussion indicates a divided stance among commissioners regarding the future of data center development in Bulloch County.