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Commissioners adopt data‑center zoning rules, lift moratorium and require higher environmental/noise standards
Summary
The board approved a final draft text amendment regulating data centers and cryptocurrency/data‑mining facilities, requiring public water/sewer, closed‑loop cooling, a 1,500‑foot setback to sensitive receptors (including parking), a 40‑foot maximum height, noise studies covering low and high frequencies, tier‑4 backup generators and decommissioning clauses; the moratorium will be lifted and supplemental special‑use rules will return in June.
The Troup County Board of Commissioners approved a land‑use text amendment on May 5 to regulate data centers and cryptocurrency/data‑mining facilities and lifted an existing moratorium. Staff described the measure as a final draft incorporating changes requested at prior public hearings.
The ordinance categorizes facilities by scale (small up to 5,000 sq ft, average/medium, and hyper scale) and ties permitted locations to zoning (small scale allowed in light or heavy industrial; average and hyper scale limited to heavy industrial). The draft requires use of publicly served water and sewer systems, closed‑loop or direct‑to‑chip cooling to minimize water use, and sets a 1,500‑foot setback from property lines to sensitive receptors; staff corrected a typographical omission to include parking lots and related improvements in that setback.
The final draft reduced a prior height cap from 60 feet to a 40‑foot maximum, adds noise testing for low‑ and high‑frequency impacts, requires Tier‑4 backup generators to limit emissions and noise, and includes decommissioning clauses. Staff noted a supplemental "good neighbor" policy and special‑use permit regulations will be developed and presented in June to accompany the ordinance.
County counsel advised that removing small‑scale uses from light industrial would be a substantive change requiring additional zoning review and public hearings; the board approved the final draft with corrected setback language and explicitly lifted the moratorium so the ordinance can take effect.
Planner (Jay) summarized the changes and thanked staff and citizens for input; the board carried the motion by voice vote.
