The Knox County Commission unanimously passed a resolution that bans data center construction for one year.
The resolution will allow the county to develop zoning regulations for data centers to “address current and emerging technologies not yet covered by existing zoning regulations.”
Knox County’s moratorium will last until June 30th, 2027, or until the commission adopts new zoning regulations for them. The moratorium could be extended past the 2027 deadline if the county has “not adopted regulations concerning the location and operation of data centers.”
During the moratorium, data center facilities will not be allowed to file preliminary or final development plans or apply for building permits, the resolution says.
Knox County government will be unable to issue any permits to these entities during the one-year ban, the resolution notes.
If a court finds any portion of the resolution invalid, the rest of it remains in place, the resolution says.
According to the resolution, data centers require large amounts of electricity to operate, which places additional strain on local utilities and may raise costs for ratepayers. On top of this, the resolution raises concerns about the amount of water required to run data centers.
The resolution also notes data centers can have a negative effect on “property values, public health, and the peaceful enjoyment of nearby communities.”
“Data Center facilities provide 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 Knox County as understood and identified at this time,” the resolution says.
At the meeting on Monday, Commissioner Andy Fox raised concerns about how the large-scale data centers would impact local communities due to their high water and energy usage.
“With the moratorium in place, we can learn more together,” he added.
Along with the Knox County Commission implementing the resolution, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon plans to introduce an ordinance later this year to impose a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers.
Coffee County implemented a one-year ban on new data centers last week. Numerous counties in Tennessee, including Wilson County and Davidson County, are considering bans on data centers.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
