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Last Update: 10/26/2026 at 11:33 PM EST
Georgia Data Center Siting
Coverage from Bloom Parham, LLP, Decaturish, and others
Local decisions about data centers in Georgia bring land-use planning, infrastructure questions, and community concerns together.
Walker County illustrates the process: commissioners used a temporary pause on applications to review zoning and consider rules on siting, setbacks, noise, lighting, water use, electricity demand, and environmental effects. Public input has also raised concerns about noise and conflicts with nearby uses. The county’s approach applies to unincorporated areas, while cities make their own decisions, underscoring the importance of local jurisdiction in data-center planning.
Looking Back
144 Day Timeline
May 8
Jun 1
Jun 25
Jul 19
Aug 9
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Sep 26
All Articles73 articles
Important
DeKalb County's Zoning Board of Appeals upheld a data center permit denial on September 9, while Shadowbox Studios challenges the county moratorium in Superior Court.
9/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Shadowbox Studios and Henrico 183 sued DeKalb County in Georgia on August 5, 2025, challenging a moratorium blocking a proposed International Park Drive data center.
8/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Statesboro officials will review the proposed Burkhalter data center at Tuesday's City Hall zoning hearing, addressing water, power, infrastructure, and development impacts.
8/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Chatham County commissioners approved a 155-day moratorium on large data centers Friday in unincorporated Chatham County, Georgia, to study electricity, water, land-use, health, and safety impacts.
9/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County's Data Center Development Standards Study Committee reviewed draft data center siting and operating rules at its third meeting in Walker County, Georgia, ahead of recommendations due December 4.
9/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Eleven residents and Coastal Communities United filed a September 17 Bulloch County Superior Court challenge to Statesboro's rezoning of a Burkhalter Road tract for a potential data center.
9/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Chatham County commissioners in Georgia approved a 155-day moratorium on large-scale data center development in unincorporated areas to study infrastructure, water, noise, zoning, and fiscal impacts.
9/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Bulloch County commissioners in Georgia are reconsidering regulated data-center zoning after tabling a proposed ban amid infrastructure concerns and opposition from primary-election voters.
8/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Bloomingdale City Council will consider a six-month data-center moratorium on Thursday in Bloomingdale, Georgia, as Chatham County municipalities respond to OpenAI's proposed Effingham County campus.
8/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Statesboro City Council approved 4AM Development's data center rezoning Tuesday in Statesboro, Georgia, while requiring further special-use permitting.
8/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
4AM Development LLC is seeking Statesboro rezoning on August 4, 2026, for a 230,000-square-foot data center on Burkhalter Road requiring Georgia Power grid infrastructure.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cobb County, Georgia, plans an August moratorium update on data centers at a Board work session while considering unified development code rules addressing power and water impacts.
7/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dougherty County, Georgia approved a 45-day moratorium on data center zoning applications to assess whether new zoning rules are required during a regulatory review period.
7/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Gordon County, Georgia canceled a July 13 Planning & Zoning Commission hearing and extended data-center moratoriums through January 29, 2027.
7/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Bulloch County proposes a zoning ordinance amendment defining data centers and excluding them from multiple unincorporated zoning classes ahead of a July 21 Planning and Zoning Commission hearing.
7/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Americus City Council discussed July 17 data center zoning rules covering industrial siting, setbacks, noise limits, and cooling water considerations.
7/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County commissioners voted unanimously in Tennessee on a 30-day data center moratorium after resident town halls and legal guidance work.
7/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County commissioners adopted a 30-day data center moratorium on Thursday after an August 6 public forum, with a possible extension into February 2027.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Augusta, Georgia will consider a draft ordinance regulating future data centers, including closed-loop cooling, after a Monday 3 p.m. Planning Commission presentation.
7/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Masterworks Atlanta seeks approval for a 500,000-square-foot data center in Calhoun, Georgia, as a citywide moratorium and DRI requirements delay zoning decisions until 2027.
6/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
DeKalb County, Georgia, holds a June 23 hearing on data center zoning while a moratorium on applications continues through Sept. 30.
6/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Statesboro City Council set a June 2 second public hearing for a Technological Facilities and Data Center Ordinance that bans hyperscale data centers over 50 acres and adds closed-loop cooling and noise study requirements.
5/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
On Sept. 1 in Statesboro, Georgia, City Manager Charles Penny said the city will not consider 4AM Development's proposed Burkhalter Road data center until an operating end-user is identified.
9/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Savannah City Council approved a 155-day moratorium on large-scale data centers in Savannah, Georgia, to develop zoning and infrastructure rules after OpenAI proposed Project Camelia nearby.
9/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Shadowbox Studios and Henrico 183 sued DeKalb County on August 5, 2025, in South DeKalb, challenging a moratorium blocking their proposed data center.
8/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Shadowbox Studios proposed a data center in southwest DeKalb County, Georgia, while DeKalb County's moratorium remains extended through March 2027 and related litigation proceeds.
8/31/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Augusta released a proposed data center ordinance in Georgia for Augusta Commission consideration on September 15, 2026, covering facility siting, operations, and community benefits.
9/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dougherty County commissioners extended the data center development moratorium on August 31 in unincorporated Dougherty County, Georgia, to complete zoning and impact reviews.
8/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County officials began developing data center standards in Georgia after a public committee meeting addressed power demand, water use, zoning, neighborhood impacts, and tax incentives.
8/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marietta City Council approved Prime Group Holdings' contested 11-acre data center in August 2026 near Powers Ferry Place and Delk Road.
8/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
DeKalb County commissioners extended the county's data center moratorium through March 2027 in Georgia while developing approval rules and debating environmental oversight.
8/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Paulding County commissioners unanimously approved a temporary data center moratorium on July 28, 2026, in Paulding County, Georgia, after weeks of resident opposition.
7/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County officials announced an unincorporated-area data center moratorium and plan possible extension after studying industry impacts.
7/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Atlanta city planning approved a conditional warehouse conversion into a data center at 1611 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard after a 2024 Beltline Overlay ban took effect.
5/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County, Georgia, data center standards committee members reviewed draft zoning and operating rules addressing siting, electricity demand, noise, cooling, and tax revenue during a second meeting.
9/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Interesting
Shadowbox Studios will ask the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 9 to overturn denial of a proposed data center at a 155-acre South DeKalb site.
9/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Shadowbox Studios is appealing DeKalb County's denial of a proposed data center and suing the county over a moratorium affecting the Atlanta-area project.
9/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Lovejoy City Council withdrew a proposed 3.5-million-square-foot data center after residents raised traffic and land-use concerns at a special meeting in Lovejoy, Georgia.
8/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Americus City Council debated a proposed data center ordinance and possible water-use requirements on Sept. 17 in Americus, Georgia.
9/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Hall County commissioners approved a data center ordinance and related development-code changes in Hall County, Georgia, on Sept. 10, 2026, while a moratorium remains active.
9/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County officials began a data center standards study on Aug. 27, 2026, in Rock Spring, Georgia, while a moratorium on new facilities remains active.
9/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Savannah City Council is expected to vote Thursday on a 155-day moratorium for large data center projects in Savannah, Georgia, amid infrastructure and community concerns.
8/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Lowndes County Board of Commissioners will consider a temporary data center moratorium in unincorporated Lowndes County, Georgia, during an August 25, 2026, meeting in Valdosta.
8/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marietta City Council voted 5-2 after several hours of debate to approve rezoning for an 18-megawatt data infrastructure facility near I-75 and Delk Road in Marietta, Georgia.
8/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County commissioners unanimously extended the data center moratorium by 180 days Thursday in Walker County, Georgia, while creating a study group to evaluate zoning and environmental impacts.
8/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Walker County Board of Commissioners imposed a 180-day data center permitting moratorium on August 6 in unincorporated Walker County, Georgia, pending zoning and infrastructure review.
8/7/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Paulding County commissioners unanimously approved a temporary data center moratorium through January 1, 2027, in Paulding County, Georgia, to review standards and gather public input.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Paulding County commissioners in Georgia recently approved a temporary moratorium on new data center proposals through January 1, 2027.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Roberto Gallardo briefed DeKalb County, Indiana, in a plan commission session ahead of a future data-center ordinance after a six-month moratorium.
7/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County, Georgia extended a data center development moratorium through February 2027 while Hamilton, Bradley, and Grundy counties pursue additional permitting limits.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County, Georgia approved a 30-day data center application moratorium on July meeting actions and scheduled a public hearing for August 6.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County Board of Commissioners approved a 30-day data center application moratorium in July and scheduled an August 6 public hearing for possible zoning revisions.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Walker County commissioners proposed a 30-day moratorium on new data center applications in Georgia while reviewing zoning regulations and infrastructure impacts.
7/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Gordon County, Georgia, commissioners extended temporary moratoriums on data centers through January 29, 2027 to support ordinance development and public hearings.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
DeKalb County commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday against a draft ordinance regulating data center siting and setbacks after public water and power concerns.
6/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
DeKalb County commissioners extended a data center application moratorium by 100 days through end-of-September after resident requests for additional health, environmental, and water studies.
6/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Statesboro City Council approved a 3-1 data center special-permit ordinance Tuesday, requiring closed-loop cooling and city water connections while banning hyperscale construction.
6/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Statesboro City Council approved new June 2, 2026 data center regulations requiring special use permits and adding water, wastewater, and stormwater standards.
6/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Bulloch County commissioners in Georgia extended a temporary data center ban and considered a zoning amendment after resident water and environmental concerns.
5/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Bulloch County commissioners in Georgia extended through Dec 31, 2026 moratoriums on rezoning and data-center creation and started a zoning amendment process after May 5 hearings.
5/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Baconton residents held a Saturday meeting to support petition referendums on a proposed power-generating facility and a one-year data center moratorium.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Paulding County residents protested in Georgia on Tuesday after county commissioners approved four data-center-related overlay districts via text amendments.
7/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
DeKalb County commissioners extended a moratorium on new data center applications through September as officials study utility, water, and noise impacts to draft new regulations.
7/2/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Coweta County, Georgia residents collected signatures for a referendum on Project Sail after the county approved a Prologis-linked ordinance.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Port Wentworth residents, led by Patrick Donovan, filed a petition for a 180-day data center moratorium after Dec. 18 zoning approval for data-center allowable use.
6/12/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Augusta Commission approved a 49-day data center moratorium while exempting a QTS project on Gordon Highway after Haynes Station residents filed environmental and transparency concerns.
6/2/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Augusta, Georgia, city officials considered a data-center moratorium in response to West Augusta neighborhood concerns and QTS construction plans near Fort Gordon.
5/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Coweta County, Georgia residents seek signatures for a state referendum to challenge the county ordinance allowing Project Sail datacenter development.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
In Coweta County, Georgia, Citizens for Rural Coweta collected signatures to trigger a referendum contesting the county ordinance that approved Project Sail.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Marietta, Georgia city leaders tabled a Powers Ferry Place data center rezoning request after public protests and a Dec. 31 moratorium through year-end.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Augusta Planning & Development is presenting a draft data center ordinance during July public meetings in Augusta, Georgia, to gather feedback before possible adoption.
6/25/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Milton City Council enacted a 30-day data-center application moratorium on June 15 in Milton, Georgia, to consider zoning rules before development proposals are submitted.
6/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Additional
Stillwater Development withdrew a proposed 1.25GW data center project in December 2025 in Lovejoy, Georgia, and will pursue residential development instead.
8/10/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General