Savannah hits pause on data centers after OpenAI's Effingham proposal
The Savannah City Council has unanimously approved a 155-day moratorium on large-scale data centers. This decision was made to allow the city time to develop appropriate zoning classifications and study the infrastructure impacts, particularly on water resources and electricity. The move follows OpenAI's announcement of a large data center project in neighboring Effingham County, which sparked broader concerns about the rapid proliferation of such facilities in Georgia.
The Savannah City Council has unanimously enacted a 155-day moratorium on large-scale data center developments within the city. Approved on Thursday, the pause is intended to provide city officials with sufficient time to craft specific zoning classifications and development standards for these facilities, as well as to assess their potential impacts on local infrastructure, including water and electricity resources.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson emphasized the need for proactive policy, stating that the city currently lacks a defined framework for data centers within its zoning ordinance. The moratorium was prompted by the recent announcement of OpenAI's 'Project Camelia,' a substantial data center planned for nearby Effingham County, which highlighted the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure in Georgia.
The city expects to have a new policy proposal ready for council review by the second meeting in January. Savannah joins other Chatham County municipalities, including Garden City and Bloomingdale, in implementing similar moratoriums. Chatham County's Board of Commissioners is also considering its own moratorium, with District 7 Commissioner Dean Kicklighter proposing the measure to allow for a full evaluation of the issues involved. The broader data center boom in Georgia, driven by AI and cloud computing demands, has faced public pushback regarding energy and water usage, notably a protest of over 100 residents at an OpenAI open house for Project Camelia.