Meriwether County adopts six‑month moratorium on new data center approvals

The Meriwether County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 24 to adopt a temporary moratorium on acceptance and approval of new data center development in unincorporated Meriwether County, county staff said. The moratorium is effective Feb. 24, 2026, and would remain in place through Aug. 23, 2026, unless earlier terminated by the board.

County staff, reading a draft resolution, told commissioners the pause is intended to give officials time to assess whether the county’s public infrastructure — including water supply, distribution and fire protection capacity — can support the demands of data center facilities. Staff emphasized the moratorium applies only to new applications filed after the effective date and does not affect permits already issued or complete applications lawfully submitted prior to Feb. 24, 2026.

Commissioners raised concerns about potential fiscal exposure if the county needed to extend or upgrade infrastructure to serve a large data center. One commissioner asked whether taxpayers could be left covering infrastructure costs if a company required substantial water or fire‑protection upgrades; that concern helped prompt the board to act now to review capacity and policy before new approvals proceed. Staff told the board a draft resolution had been reviewed by legal counsel and recommended adoption.

After discussion, a motion to adopt the moratorium was made and seconded. The chair called for all in favor; the motion carried (the transcript records no roll‑call tally). The resolution as presented sets the six‑month window for staff and the board to complete infrastructure and policy reviews.

Next steps: staff will complete the planned review and return any recommended ordinance or policy changes to the board for consideration before the moratorium expires.