Johnson City Commission approves 12‑month moratorium on new I‑2 industrial land uses, citing studies and stronger rules to follow

The Johnson City Commission on June 5 passed a resolution instituting a 12‑month moratorium on accepting new industrial land‑use applications and on issuing building permits for new construction in the I‑2 (heavy industrial) zoning district.

City Attorney Tom Seeley told commissioners the measure is a resolution, not an ordinance, and “This resolution will temporary halt both the acceptance of new applications and the issuance of building permits for new construction for the noise, vibration, emissions, and pollution” emitted by industries in those areas. He said the pause gives staff time to conduct studies and “make informed decisions about what other restrictions they can apply in our different zoning districts.”

The moratorium followed more than an hour of public comment that focused largely on proposed cryptocurrency mining and large data‑center uses in and near I‑2 areas. Many residents urged stronger restrictions than those previously proposed in a pending text amendment, and several…