Hogansville denies data center ordinance, extends moratorium

The Hogansville City Council voted 4-1 to deny a proposed ordinance that would establish a Heavy-Industrial District and set standards for regulating data centers within the city. Concurrently, the council extended the existing moratorium on data center applications until September 8, providing additional time for revisions to the ordinance, further public notice, and the formal drafting of the moratorium extension.

Residents, supported by a letter from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), had urged the council to strengthen the proposed ordinance's protections and delay any vote until revisions could be made. Councilmember Mandy Neese, drawing on her experience with data center projects in Georgia, expressed concerns about Hogansville's capacity to manage construction and traffic impacts, advocating for more stringent protections including a traffic study plan and a ban on Sunday construction.

Councilmembers Michael Taylor Jr. and Kandis Strickland echoed Neese's sentiments, emphasizing the need for a more robust ordinance. In contrast, Councilmembers Jason Baswell and Mark Ayers, the lone dissenting vote against denying the ordinance, argued that the proposal provided necessary minimum standards and that site-specific development agreements could address additional concerns. Mayor Jake Ayers expressed disappointment in the lack of prior communication from council members regarding their concerns before the vote.