COWETA COUNTY, GA — A temporary moratorium on new data center applications will remain in place as Coweta County commissioners work toward a vote on a new ordinance later this month.
An existing pause was set to expire Thursday, but leaders agreed to extend it so another public hearing can be held and more resident feedback can be collected.
The county is facing continued interest from companies seeking to build large data centers and divided public reaction about where they should go.
Some residents say they worry about water and power usage, noise, and light pollution. Rob Cole told commissioners he believes data centers should not be placed on rural land.
“We’re not opposed to data centers, we’re opposed to data centers on rural land in rural Coweta County when there is a tremendous amount of acreage out here that is zoned or can be zoned more appropriately,” he said.
Others are pushing for what they call “smart growth,” saying data centers can provide tax revenue without adding major traffic or population strain like other large developments.
Still, some residents remain firmly against the plans altogether. One told commissioners, “You have to work with your citizens, not against us.”
Commissioners are expected to revisit the issue at a public hearing in the coming weeks, with a vote on the proposed ordinance possible on December 16.
Coweta is not the only community pressing pause. DeKalb, Clayton, and Douglas counties have also halted data center applications, while the City of Atlanta has restrictions in certain commercial areas.
WSB Radio’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story.