Commissioners extend both moratoriums, step toward outright ban on data centers

The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 to extend existing moratoriums on rezoning for residential and planned unit developments, as well as on new data centers, until December 31, 2026. These moratoriums, originally set for 90 days, were nearing their expiration. The decision followed a public hearing on May 5, 2026, where citizens voiced strong opposition to data center development in the county. Commissioner Toby Conner, facing re-election, publicly advocated for an outright ban on data centers, stating, "I don’t think we should even go on with the moratorium; I think we should just put the flat ‘no’ on this." Public speakers like Frank Bedell and Molly Nagy echoed concerns about potential negative impacts, including high power demands, significant water usage, infrastructure strain, and environmental pollution. Dr. Frank Davis, however, supported the moratorium extension for further study, suggesting that a well-crafted ordinance could benefit the county through tax revenue without destroying the environment. Following the extension of the moratoriums, the commissioners took a separate 5-0 vote to initiate a process for a zoning amendment that would prohibit data centers in Bulloch County entirely. County Attorney Jeff Akins noted that the current Zoning Ordinance does not specifically address data centers, though it has provisions for cryptocurrency operations, which share some similarities. Planning and Development Director James Pope indicated that a zoning text amendment process typically takes two to three months, involving public notification and review by the Planning & Zoning Board before a final decision by the commissioners. Chairman David Bennett reiterated that the county has no current data center proposals and initiated the moratorium to prevent unplanned development. While acknowledging the potential for tax revenue from a large project, Commissioner Ray Davis expressed concerns about the electrical infrastructure required for data centers, including potential eminent domain issues, and questioned if tax benefits would outweigh resource and environmental impacts.