Athens-Clarke County extends moratorium on new data centers after widespread community opposition

The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted March 3 to extend a temporary moratorium on new data centers and to hold a related zoning text amendment for at least one month as residents and students urged stronger protections for neighborhoods, water and energy resources.

The action came after two nights of public engagement and a packed public-comment period in which speakers urged the commission to require energy audits, consider community benefit agreements and avoid clustering data centers in predominantly Black and working-class neighborhoods. “No more data centers in our Black and working-class neighborhoods,” said Dr. Maddox, a longtime community advocate, in a representative comment that captured much of the testimony.

Commissioners framed the vote as a step to allow staff and the planning commission time to research technical questions about cooling systems, water runoff and utility ownership. Mayor Girtz and multiple commissioners noted recent community meetings and said the hold will give planners time to craft ordinance language and return recommendations to the commission. Commissioner Thornton moved to hold the text amendment for one month and to send clear direction to the planning commission; the motion passed.

Supporters of the moratorium argued data centers bring limited permanent jobs while consuming large amounts of electricity and water and often receive tax incentives that do not directly benefit adjacent neighborhoods. Olivia Asher, a local resident, urged the commission to require independent energy-use auditing and to consider community benefit agreements so neighborhoods see direct reinvestment.

Opponents did not coalesce into a single visible bloc during the meeting; commissioners generally expressed interest in balancing economic development with neighborhood and environmental protections. The commission later used suspension of rules to vote to extend the county’s temporary emergency moratorium on the establishment of new data centers (Item 20), adopting an ordinance to continue the moratorium while staff and the planning commission prepare more detailed recommendations.

Next steps: Planning staff will receive the commission’s direction and are expected to return draft ordinance language on data centers and related permitting requirements after the planning commission’s review. The moratorium remains in place during that review period.