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As Walker County considers how to handle potential data center development, county officials say one option is effectively off the table: an outright ban.
During the inaugural meeting of the Walker County Data Center Development Standards Study Committee, Planning and Zoning Director Jon Pursley told members that completely banning data centers is not considered legally viable.
County staff instead are approaching the issue by examining what regulations Walker County could put in place to control where data centers are built and how they operate, with particular attention being given to their potential impact on neighboring property owners, utilities and local resources.
“He clarified that an outright ban is not legally viable, drawing comparisons to previous county regulatory efforts for solar farms and poultry operations,” County Spokesperson Joe Legge said in a news release following the meeting.
Pursley said Walker County staff began researching data centers in March 2026. The county currently does not have ordinances specifically addressing data center developments and has been studying regulatory frameworks adopted or considered elsewhere, including in neighboring Whitfield County and Bartow County.
With a blanket prohibition not considered a legally viable path, the newly formed committee is tasked with helping determine what development standards Walker County should establish if a data center project is proposed.
That discussion began Aug. 27 with committee members examining several of the biggest concerns surrounding large-scale data centers, including electricity demand, water consumption, noise, lighting, buffers and the potential financial impact of tax incentives.
Resource consumption emerged as one of the primary topics.
Legge pointed to a 170-acre data center development in Dalton that requires approximately 140 megawatts of electricity. According to CEM Engineering, that amount of power is enough to serve more than 100,000 homes.
Water use was another concern. Committee members discussed the possibility of requiring closed-loop water cooling systems for data centers developed in Walker County. Such systems recirculate water rather than continually relying on new water for cooling.
Members also discussed ways to protect nearby homes, businesses and wildlife from the noise and lighting associated with large data center facilities.
Among the possibilities discussed were sound monitoring requirements and larger buffers that would create additional greenspace between a data center and surrounding properties.
While much of the committee’s work will focus on development standards, members also began examining the financial relationship between data center operators and the community.
According to Legge, tax abatements “sparked sharp debate among appointees,” with some members expressing concern about the potential long-term financial impact incentives could have on local school systems.
The committee also considered whether operators should be required to enter into community benefit agreements, which could establish commitments or benefits for the local community as part of a development.
The discussions are still preliminary, and the committee has not finalized recommendations for a Walker County data center ordinance.
The study group was formed as local officials seek to establish rules before a major data center proposal arrives, rather than attempting to address issues after a development is already underway.
While the committee’s first meeting made clear that an outright ban is not viewed by county officials as a legally viable option, members now face the larger question of how restrictive Walker County’s eventual regulations should be.
The committee initially planned to meet weekly but agreed during its first session to move to a biweekly schedule.
Its next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10.
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Walker County’s Data Center Development Standards Study Committee will continue its work next week as members review public recommendations and a draft ordinance aimed at establishing standards for future data center development.
The committee will meet Thursday, Sept. 10, at 4 p.m. at the Walker County Civic Center, located at 10052 N. Highway 27 in Rock Spring.
According to the meeting agenda, committee members will begin by considering approval of minutes from their Aug. 27 meeting before receiving an overview of a Data Centers FlashVote survey.
The committee is also scheduled to review recommendations submitted by the public, providing members with additional community input as they consider what regulations should be included in the county’s approach to data center development.
One of the most significant items on the agenda is a review of a draft Data Center Ordinance. The proposed ordinance represents the next stage in the committee’s work to develop standards for how Walker County could regulate potential data center projects.
The committee held its inaugural meeting Aug. 27, when members began discussing issues surrounding large-scale data center development, including power and water demands, noise, lighting, setbacks, buffers and environmental protections. County officials have said Walker County currently does not have an ordinance specifically addressing data centers.
The study committee was formed as communities across Georgia continue examining how to balance potential economic development associated with data centers against concerns involving infrastructure, natural resources and nearby property owners.
The Sept. 10 meeting is scheduled to conclude following the committee’s review of the draft ordinance.