The Walker County Data Center Development Standards Study Committee is moving closer to finalizing recommendations that could establish strict regulations for future data center developments, including limits on noise, generator operations, water usage, and mandatory financial protections for the county.
During its fifth meeting, committee members completed an initial section-by-section review of a proposed ordinance, agreeing on several restrictions designed to address environmental concerns and hold developers accountable.
One of the major topics involved air quality and the operation of emergency backup generators. Committee members discussed requiring generators to meet at least EPA Tier 4 emissions standards or utilize newer technologies that provide greater environmental protection.
Under the proposed restrictions, routine generator testing would be limited to between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. from May 1 through September 30 to help reduce potential air quality impacts during the warmer months.
From October 1 through April 30, testing would be permitted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Individual testing sessions would be limited to 30 minutes, with a maximum of 10 hours per month and 120 hours annually. Emergency power outages would be exempt from those limits.
The committee also agreed to recommend prohibiting routine generator testing on days when the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index reaches code orange or higher.
Noise restrictions were another major focus of the meeting. Members settled on proposed property-line limits of 50 dBA for ambient noise and 65 dBC for low-frequency sound.
Measurements would have to be taken directly at property boundaries, rather than relying on averages collected over multiple days.
Committee members also addressed concerns about the financial responsibility of developers if a data center closes or is abandoned.
The original ordinance draft included language allowing the Walker County Board of Commissioners to require performance or decommissioning bonds at its discretion.
District 3 Appointee Laura Owsley and other members raised concerns that discretionary language could create opportunities for unequal treatment or favoritism.
The committee agreed to remove that language and recommend mandatory decommissioning and site restoration bonds for all data center applicants, regardless of facility size or ownership.
Water usage also remained a priority. Members reaffirmed their recommendation that data centers be required to use closed-loop cooling systems and prohibited from using private groundwater wells for cooling operations.
Facilities would also be required to connect to primary municipal water utilities.
The committee continued discussing where data centers should be permitted to operate. Under the proposal, developments would generally be directed toward industrial districts and required to occupy parcels of at least 10 acres.
However, developers seeking smaller sites or locations in commercial zoning districts could potentially pursue conditional use permits or variances through the county’s approval process.
Members also discussed whether data centers could be restricted specifically to industrial parks rather than industrial zoning districts. The committee indicated that additional legal guidance would be needed before making that recommendation.
During discussion of the previous meeting’s minutes, Owsley requested that the record more clearly reflect concerns about locating data centers near historic districts, wetlands, and environmentally sensitive habitats.
District 4 Appointee Travis Middleton also requested that the minutes reflect his statement that data center-related operations have existed in Walker County since 2020, citing a Bitcoin mining operation.
With the initial ordinance review complete, the committee is preparing to move into the next phase of its work.
Watkins told members she would compile their recommendations and prepare a revised draft for consideration at the committee’s next meeting on November 5.
Members are also expected to review a comprehensive advisory report outlining their findings before submitting recommendations to the Walker County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners.
The committee has been asked to submit its report by December 4. If that deadline is met, a proposed ordinance could be considered by the Planning Commission in January and the Board of Commissioners in February.
The proposed regulations are not yet county law. Any final ordinance would still need to move through the county’s formal review and approval process.
The committee’s recommendations could ultimately shape how future data center developments are located, constructed, operated, and regulated throughout Walker County.