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Bradley County moves to add data-center and crypto-mining rules to zoning; commissioners debate acreage, noise and school proximity
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Summary
Commissioners voted to place on the next voting agenda a zoning amendment that would define data centers and cryptocurrency mining and allow them in I-1 industrial zones; the planning commission approved the text unanimously, but commissioners and public commenters raised concerns about acreage minimums, noise limits and proximity to schools.
Commissioner Rogers presented a resolution to amend the Bradley County zoning resolution to add definitions and regulations for data centers and cryptocurrency mining and to permit those uses in the I-1 General Industrial District. The change was recommended unanimously by the Bradley County Planning Commission and the commission asked that it be placed on next week’s voting session.
Key provisions in the draft ordinance include a minimum site-size requirement (the packet showed 5 acres as the baseline), a prohibition on containerized or temporary 'tractor-trailer' installations, and a noise limit measured at the property line (the draft cites 60 decibels). The packet also requires written verification from the public electric utility provider that the local grid and related equipment can safely accommodate the proposed electrical consumption prior to issuance of any permit.
Commissioners and experts raised concerns about the draft’s details. Several commissioners questioned whether a 5-acre minimum is adequate for large-scale data centers and suggested a larger acreage threshold (15–40 acres was discussed) may be more appropriate for 'mega' facilities. Commissioner Blake and others pressed for clarity about who would certify noise measurements and whether the county should specify accredited testing requirements.
Doug Berry of the Industrial Development Board told commissioners that large data centers often require service beyond a local utility and may be directly served by TVA for loads above roughly 5 megawatts; he said data-center developers are actively analyzing sites in the region but that the board is not marketing cryptocurrency projects. A resident, Linda Cash, urged commissioners to consider the proximity of proposed sites to Walker Valley and Charleston Elementary and to prioritize protecting schools and neighborhoods as the county updates zoning.
Next steps: The planning commission vote was unanimous and the county commission asked that the amendment be placed on next week’s voting agenda for formal consideration. Commissioners said additional specificity (acreage thresholds, noise-verification standards and school-protection language) can be refined before final approval.
