Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Shelbyville study session advances plan for one‑year moratorium on data centers and crypto mining
Summary
City staff presented a proposed one‑year moratorium and companion zoning changes to pause data center and cryptocurrency‑mining development while the city updates I3 zoning and separation rules; council members said the pause would align Shelbyville with other Tennessee localities.
The Shelbyville mayor and city manager presented a draft resolution and ordinance at the June 30 study session that would impose a moratorium on development of data centers, including cryptocurrency mining and similar high‑impact land uses, while the city finalizes zoning rules.
Mayor (reading the draft) said the resolution would “approve and authorize a moratorium on development of all data centers, including cryptocurrency, mining, and similar high impact land uses in the city of Shelbyville.” City staff told council the moratorium draft is intended to give the city roughly one year to review and, if needed, move the data‑center use into a more highly regulated zoning classification (I3) and to draft separation and operational standards.
Planning staff explained that other jurisdictions in Tennessee have used a moratorium to buy time for ordinance language and that the council’s two‑step approach — a resolution to pause new applications and a parallel ordinance to codify requirements — is meant to prevent the city from being caught unprepared if a large operator pursues a site in Shelbyville.
Council members asked for the timing and scope to be clarified before any formal vote. Staff indicated the county planning commission had acted recently on similar language and that the city would coordinate with Bedford County and local stakeholders in drafting final rules.
Next steps: staff will bring a final draft ordinance and the moratorium resolution to the council for formal action at a future meeting; no formal vote was recorded during the study session.
