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Planning director: no applications yet; PUD route, utilities and TVA are key constraints
Summary
County Planning Director Doug DeMasi told the committee the county has received no inquiries for data centers in unincorporated areas, explained that the zoning code currently treats unlisted uses as prohibited and that data centers would proceed via planned developments (PUDs), and estimated 6–12+ months once an application is filed.
County Planning Director Doug DeMasi told the Property Management Committee his office has not received any inquiries to locate a data center in unincorporated Rutherford County and explained the county's existing land‑use path for such proposals.
DeMasi said the zoning ordinance contains no specific data‑center use; therefore, a developer would typically pursue a planned development (PUD) that creates a use narrowly tailored to the proposal. He noted utilities are a gating factor: "Some of the other impacts... electric is a big concern. Water, again, being a big concern..." and that for very large megawatt loads, TVA approval could be required. Regarding timeline he told commissioners that, even aggressively, "start to finish that process, I mean, aggressively, even you're looking at at least 6 months to a year for something like that."
DeMasi said planning staff has begun preliminary research and has met with Middle Tennessee Electric and CUD; he offered to provide a staff status report and a recommended path forward to the Public Works committee and the full commission in coming months. The presentation was offered as information; no ordinance, moratorium or binding deadline was adopted at this meeting.
