Council member proposes 180‑day moratorium on new data centers to allow local standards work

A council member proposed a temporary moratorium on new and expanded data centers at the July 16 meeting to give Chamblee time to develop local standards. Council member Jimmy 1st said the request is about planning rather than prohibition and asked staff to prepare a legally appropriate, time‑limited moratorium and a work plan for a Chamblee data‑center zoning text amendment.

"The moratorium is temporary, and it gives us time to write clear rules before a specific applicant puts the city under pressure," Jimmy 1st said, pointing to environmental concerns including water and energy demand, low‑frequency noise, tree loss and stormwater. He suggested a six‑month time frame aligned with a district example in DeKalb County and told colleagues the draft resolution in the packet proposes a 180‑day moratorium.

City staff confirmed the packet includes a draft moratorium resolution and said staff can complete a zoning analysis and work plan within that timeframe, returning proposed ordinance language before the moratorium expires. Council members discussed possible size tiers, buffers and performance standards and signaled they would want staff to consider multiple tiers of data‑center scale and energy/water use in any ordinance.