Athens-Clarke County extends moratorium on new data centers after weeks of public concern

The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted unanimously March 3 to extend a temporary moratorium on the establishment of new data centers in the county, a move that follows weeks of high-turnout public comment demanding stronger local controls.

The moratorium extension was adopted under suspension of rules after residents and community groups pressed commissioners to pause approvals while staff and the planning commission refine text amendments. Mayor Girtz and Attorney Drake read the ordinance language establishing the continuing temporary emergency moratorium.

Speakers at multiple public hearings told the commission that data centers had overloaded local utilities, disproportionately affected Black and working-class neighborhoods, and delivered limited long-term local jobs. Toana Maddox, who identified herself as working with the Athens Land Trust, told the Commission: “No more data centers in our black and working-class neighborhoods. ... We cannot trade our health, our water, our air, our neighborhoods for corporate profit.” Olivia Asher and other residents urged mandatory energy-use audits and consideration of community benefit agreements.

Commissioners debated whether to simply hold the proposed text amendment for one month or to extend the moratorium longer. Supporters of the pause said the planning commission needed time to consider cooling-system runoff risks, utility ownership questions, clustering of facilities, and how to align new projects with Athens’ clean and renewable energy goals. Commissioner Thornton noted meetings in the community and requested specific research on cooling technologies, co-ownership structures and water use.

The commission’s action sends instructions to the planning staff and planning commission to further study the proposed Title 9 text amendment and to return with ordinance language that can address the community’s concerns. Staff and commissioners also discussed bringing experts and state-level partners into the process to determine where local authority ends and where state or utility regulation applies.

Next steps: planning staff will incorporate the commission’s direction and return recommended ordinance language to the commission in a future meeting. The moratorium will remain in effect while those local rule-making steps proceed.