Walker County officials have taken the first step toward restricting data center development after commissioners approved a temporary moratorium Thursday, with plans to extend the pause for six months while county leaders gather public input and develop long-term regulations.
The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an initial 30-day moratorium on new data center proposals during its July meeting. The action serves as a bridge to a proposed 180-day moratorium that commissioners expect to consider in August.
A moratorium temporarily suspends a specific type of development or activity. In this case, it prevents new data center projects from moving forward while the county evaluates potential zoning regulations and development standards.
Walker County currently has no data centers, but the issue has drawn significant public attention as similar facilities continue to expand across Georgia, which is home to more than 200 data centers.
The original 30-day proposal drew criticism from residents during the public comment period, with several expressing concern that the timeframe would not allow enough opportunity to study the potential impacts of large-scale data center development.
Residents urged commissioners to carefully evaluate issues including water consumption, energy demand, noise, environmental impacts and long-term effects on the community before allowing any such projects to move forward.
Commission Chairwoman Angie Teems said the county has already received interest from developers but indicated officials have communicated that Walker County is not currently interested in hosting data center projects.
Commissioners have said the proposed 180-day moratorium will provide time for additional public meetings, research and the development of an ordinance addressing future data center proposals.
The next opportunity for public input is scheduled for the board’s Aug. 6 meeting. County leaders expect to spend the coming months drafting a permanent policy, with a final vote anticipated in February 2027.