Wilson County leaders pause to study data centers' impact on water and power
Wilson County leaders are considering a six-month moratorium on data center development to study their impact on water, electricity, and zoning regulations. This follows the rejection of a large industrial park plan by Hillwood, which local farmers feared could have included data centers. Officials aim to create specific zoning ordinances for data centers, as they currently fall under warehousing use.
Wilson County, Tennessee, is initiating a six-month data center moratorium as its planning and zoning committee seeks to understand the full impact of these facilities on the community, specifically concerning water and electricity demand, noise, and property values. Currently, data centers are classified under general warehousing use, lacking specific regulatory language, which officials like County Planning Director Christopher Lawless and County Attorney Mike Jennings aim to rectify through new ordinances.
This move comes after a large industrial development plan by Texas-based Hillwood was rejected in December 2024 following strong protests from local farmers. Although Hillwood did not confirm specific tenants, farmer Jack Pratt and other stakeholders believed the 10.35 million square feet industrial park could have included data centers, especially since Hillwood published an article in October 2024 about "gearing up for the AI datacenter boom." Farmers like Perry Neal expressed relief at the plan's denial, citing concerns over flooding, traffic, and diminishing farmland.
Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto is expected to form a committee to further study data center impacts. State Senator Mark Pody of Lebanon anticipates the Tennessee legislature will also address data center regulations, advocating for self-contained facilities to protect residents from potential utility strains and to establish suitable location parameters. The Joint Economic & Community Development Board's Executive Director Corey Johns noted that while data centers aren't a targeted recruitment, the county's desirability has led to project explorations.