Commission reviews draft resolution defining data centers, members cite grid capacity and farmland concerns

Bradley County planning staff presented a draft resolution that adds a definition for data centers and makes data centers and related AI/server‑farm uses subject to the county's I1 use permit process.

Bentley told commissioners the item had been recommended to the county commission in January with changes and that this version primarily adds a definition for data centers to the permitted uses in I1. "I pretty much did was add a definition for data centers and um added it to the resolution and to the uses permitted in I1," Bentley said.

During discussion a commissioner noted the committee intentionally did not include cryptocurrency mining in the definition and emphasized the need to review recent developments in neighboring jurisdictions where rapid investment in data centers and related infrastructure has strained local electrical grids and led to controversy over farmland and utility impacts. The commissioner urged members to look at recent news and to provide feedback before the county commission votes.

Commissioners expressed general support for the revised language and agreed to forward their comments to staff ahead of the county commission meeting. Bentley said he would finalize the draft for the county commission, and members were invited to flag anything they wanted changed before the second Monday in April (the county commission schedule referenced in the discussion).

No formal county‑level action was taken at this meeting; the planning commission reviewed the draft and prepared to transmit a recommendation to the county commission.