MARIETTA, GA — The Marietta City Council has reversed course on a proposal that would have ended the city’s moratorium on new data centers, instead voting unanimously to extend the restrictions through the end of 2027.
The decision comes after council members heard concerns from residents about data center development and how the city has handled discussions surrounding the issue.
The city’s existing moratorium is scheduled to expire Dec. 31. The newly approved extension will take effect Jan. 1 and remain in place through Dec. 31, 2027.
An earlier proposal would have lifted the moratorium while restricting new data center development to heavily industrial areas.
Council members say the extension will give city leaders more time to consider the issue and gather public feedback.
“This will allow the mayor and council to continue gathering information, hear from the people, and from our constituents,” one council member said.
Several residents thanked the council for extending the moratorium but criticized the city’s handling of the discussions, calling for greater transparency and community involvement.
“At the end of the day there needs to be input from the community. Y’all need to do the outreach, the people shouldn’t be having to ask you; you should be asking them,” one resident said.
Another council member acknowledged concerns about public trust.
“It’s also an issue of public trust, so when people feel like they’re not being represented by their local government they get angry whether or not those decisions are positive or negative for them,” the council member said.
Mayor Steve Tumlin previously told WSB that large-scale data centers, including those used for artificial intelligence, are not feasible in Marietta because the city lacks the electrical capacity needed to power them.
The decision comes as several other metro Atlanta communities have implemented similar pauses on data center development, while others have lifted previously established restrictions.
Georgia remains one of the country’s busiest markets for data center expansion. Recent data from the Pew Research Center shows nearly 100 data centers are already operating in the state, with approximately 140 more planned.
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Rob Archer contributed to this story.