DeKalb County adopts six-month moratorium on data center approvals

DeKalb County commissioners voted unanimously April 13 to adopt a six-month moratorium on data center developments while staff and a county subcommittee draft zoning language to guide future applications. The board suspended rules to allow second and third readings and approved the ordinance 3–0.

County planning staff told commissioners the moratorium is being treated as a zoning text amendment and was referred to the plan commission, which gave a unanimous favorable recommendation on April 8. Staff and the subcommittee, led locally by a commissioner and a committee member, will study site-development standards, utility and water use impacts, and best-practice language before the plan commission holds subsequent public hearings.

Supporters on the board said the pause is intended to prevent the county from having to process applications without ordinance standards in place. Planning staff emphasized that the moratorium simply pauses approvals while a formal ordinance is drafted and does not itself set permanent policy.

Commissioners discussed scheduling for public hearings and whether to conduct three separate readings or combine readings to accelerate the process; commissioners favored separate readings to allow more public input. Staff noted the moratorium period will be six months measured from the date of approval and that a timeline for plan commission hearings will follow.

The action directs county planning staff and the subcommittee to prepare ordinance language and return to the plan commission for public review before subsequent readings by the board. No public speakers addressed the moratorium during the meeting.