JeffCo Pumps the Brakes on a Data Center Moratorium
The Jefferson County Commission President requested a pause on an initially proposed data center moratorium for unincorporated Jefferson County. While new regulations are being drafted to govern data center development, the county is re-evaluating the scope to avoid hindering other industrial projects. No data centers are currently under development in the county.
Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens has called for a re-evaluation of a proposed moratorium on data centers in unincorporated Jefferson County, just two days after initially suggesting it. Stephens emphasized the need for an orderly approach, noting that while some locations in the county are suitable for data centers, many are not.
Developmental Services Director Josh Johnson is currently working on drafting an ordinance to regulate data center development, particularly hyperscale facilities, which have generated significant public discussion in Birmingham and Bessemer and led other Alabama cities to enact moratoriums. The discussion expanded to include heavy industry, prompting Stephens to seek a separate classification for data centers to avoid inadvertently hindering other economic development, such as the U.S. Steel project. Stephens affirmed that Jefferson County remains open for business and will responsibly manage future data center placements, with no current projects underway.
Separately, the commission approved incentives for redevelopment at Fairfield Works and supported a resolution for the preservation of the Hale Springs property, seeking to establish a "Crest to Creek" Conservation Corridor with the support of surrounding municipalities like Hoover and Birmingham.