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Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
Within a couple weeks of each other, the Knox County Commission and the Knoxville City Council approved one-year moratoriums on new data centers, aiming to give the local governments more time to study the issue and develop regulations.
On June 22, the Knox County Commission unanimously voted to implement a moratorium effective through June 30, 2027, or until the commission adopts new regulations “governing the placement and operation of data centers.” If the county has not adopted new regulations by the moratorium’s end date, the resolution allows the body to extend the pause.
The resolution also outlined proposed regulations for officials to determine in the next year and states a need to update land use control regulations to address the new technologies.
Additionally, it says that data centers “require extraordinary levels of electrical power, often equivalent to the consumption of thousands of homes, placing strain on local utilities,” as well as “generate significant continuous noise” and “require extraordinary levels of water for cooling” while “providing limited job creation, minimal economic impact compared to the infrastructure burden they impose, and may not align with the long-term economic development goals” of the county.
Commissioners have asked the county planning commission to develop zoning regulations for data centers alongside any regulations the commission will implement.
When signing the document from the commission, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs filmed a video adding his thoughts on the data center conversation, saying he appreciated the body’s thoughtful action and acknowledging the importance of the issue to people in Knox County.
“Whether we like it or not, data centers have become a necessary part of our everyday life. I’m recording this video on my smartphone. You’re likely streaming it on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. That entire process requires data centers,” Jacobs said. “I have asked our planning department to make the responsible development of data center regulations a priority. This work is important, and I want to ensure it receives the attention and consideration necessary to get it right.”
Jacobs also emphasized broader “economic and national security considerations”, especially in protecting data, and said he wants the development of regulations guided by “clear, thoughtful standards that protect our community and help us avoid the missteps that have occurred elsewhere.”
Just over two weeks later on July 7, the Knoxville City Council joined the county in approving a temporary halt on the permitting and construction of large data centers following Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon’s letter requesting city officials to implement a one- year moratorium while developing regulations.
The emergency ordinance cites several reasons for the moratorium including facility sizes, neighborhood impacts, demands on water and electric supplies, greenhouse gas reduction goals, and the fact that the developments often provide only a few jobs.
“The City recognizes the critical role that data centers play in powering the evolving digital economy while acknowledging their potential for significant negative impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, regional resources, public utilities, environmental sustainability and overall local quality of life,” the agenda information sheet read.
Set to remain in effect until July 7, 2027, or until new regulations are adopted by the city, the moratorium places a temporary hold on city permits, building approvals, utility extensions, development agreements, and zoning-related amendments connected to qualifying data center projects.
A city spokesperson confirmed there are no current proposals pending for the development of any new data centers and officials reiterated the moratorium is intended to give all the necessary city departments time to devise rules and regulations to oversee any future proposals.
These two municipalities are the latest to join several other Tennessee regions in implementing temporary moratoriums to give their communities time to decide how they want to handle the influx of data centers into the state. The Cities of Cedar Hill and McMinnville passed theirs earlier in the summer while Loudon, Anderson, Morgan, and Blount Counties have all recently enacted moratoriums of varying durations.
Numerous other Tennessee municipalities are considering bans of their own or working on regulations for future developments as the issue continues to be a priority for many Tennesseans.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
