Franklin approves data center moratorium
The Franklin Town Council in North Carolina unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on data center development following a public hearing with strong community support. The moratorium aims to allow the town time to develop regulations addressing environmental and infrastructural impacts of data centers, as current ordinances do not cover them. Officials expressed commitment to making data center development "virtually impossible" within town limits.
The Franklin Town Council in North Carolina unanimously enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center development following a packed public hearing on Monday. Mayor Stacy Guffey initiated the meeting by emphasizing community patriotism and expressed the board's collective desire to prevent data centers within Franklin. Public speakers overwhelmingly supported the moratorium, citing concerns about excessive water and electricity consumption, noise, light pollution, toxic waste, and minimal job creation.
Town attorney John Henning explained that the moratorium is a crucial legal mechanism for the town, which currently lacks ordinances specifically addressing data centers. He noted that while an outright ban is not legally permissible, the town can develop regulations to "discourage" such development. The 12-month period will allow officials to study the environmental impacts and infrastructure strains of data centers, particularly concerning water and electricity use, and craft appropriate regulations.
Vice Mayor Mike Lewis pledged the board's commitment to ensuring any potential data center development would have minimal impact on the community's water, electricity, and residents. Council members Robbie Tompa, Rita Salain, Joe Collins, and Travis Higdon all voiced strong opposition, with Tompa stating data centers "only takes from" the community's priorities. Community members were encouraged to engage with Macon County commissioners and state legislators to extend the moratorium's influence.
Residents like Judy Hartley detailed numerous disadvantages, including environmental degradation and lack of local economic benefit, while Rob James warned of tech CEOs exploiting small towns. Real estate agent Matt Jackson urged the board to enshrine prohibitions on data centers in town code, and photographer John MacLean called them an "environmental disaster." Many speakers also highlighted the ongoing drought and the potential strain on the town’s water system. The sentiment of the community was summarized by Nathan Pannell, who urged collective action to keep data centers out of Franklin, Macon County, and even the wider Appalachia region.