MARIETTA, GA — The Marietta City Council has approved a moratorium on new data center applications through the end of the year following opposition from residents.

Dozens of residents attended the council meeting, with many speaking against planned data center development while others gathered outside City Hall to voice their concerns.

Residents raised concerns about potential environmental impacts, noise and possible increases in utility rates.

Council members also voted to delay discussion of the proposed Powers Ferry Place data center until the August council meeting.

The proposal calls for converting an existing storage facility into an 18-megawatt data center.

The moratorium on new data center applications will remain in place through at least Dec. 31, giving city leaders time to conduct additional studies and consider possible changes to zoning regulations.

Marietta joins several other local governments that have paused data center development to review potential impacts and zoning policies.

WSB Radio’s Graham Carroll contributed to this story.