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Residents call on Jefferson County to impose one-year moratorium on new data centers
Summary
During public comment, residents urged commissioners to approve a temporary one-year moratorium on new data center applications to allow review of planning and zoning standards, citing concerns about water use, power, noise, light pollution, tax impacts and enforcement; commissioners took no formal action at the meeting.
Several Jefferson County residents used the public-comment period on June 25 to urge commissioners to enact a temporary one-year moratorium on new data center development applications.
Elijah Chandler read a prepared letter asking the board to pause approvals while the county updates planning and zoning ordinances and establishes standards for future data center projects. Chandler raised concerns about potential impacts on water usage and electrical infrastructure, as well as noise, taxes and employment commitments tied to proposed data centers.
Additional public comments expanded on potential local impacts and asked questions about the county approval process and enforcement of regulations. Separate remarks raised concerns about roadside-ditch and utility-infrastructure damage attributed to fiber installation projects and asked for clarity about the county’s buffer-zone boundaries.
Fire department representatives also spoke during public comment to discuss emergency preparedness and safety measures related to a proposed battery energy storage project; they emphasized coordinating safety reviews with emergency services but did not call for a specific vote in this meeting.
The commissioners did not take a formal vote on a moratorium during the session. The transcript records sustained public concern and requests for additional public discussion, but no directive or ordinance was introduced at this meeting.
