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The Data Center Divide

Douglas County

This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.

Anti-Data Center Policies

Douglas County requires data center applicants to submit phased construction and utility plans and limits sites near homes, with some buffers reducible; it does not ban facilities.

current law · County measure
Requires data center projects to submit construction, utility, and site plans, bars them from sharing a property line with residential land, and generally requires a 100-foot buffer near residential areas.Georgia Douglas County Unified Development Code Sec. 352 (2025)

What this means

The measure requires data center applicants to provide phased construction and utility plans and limits where facilities can go near residential areas, including a 100-foot buffer in some cases. These rules add planning work and can rule out some sites, but the buffer may be reduced and the measure does not ban data centers.

People behind it

  • Administers Section 352 by requesting additional information and potentially allowing reductions to the required undisturbed buffer.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements7
  • Facilities must provide additional information required under Article 12, Section 1206, if requested by the Director of Development Services.

  • For any zoning action, special-use permit, variance, land-disturbance permit, or building-permit application, applicants must submit a phasing plan with defined timelines for the project's full build-out.

  • Applicants must submit a separate phasing plan with defined timelines showing the availability and installation of all required utilities for the overall project.

  • Applicants must submit a master site plan showing all required subdivision and parcel recombination for the overall development project.

  • A facility may not be located on a parcel sharing a common property line with land zoned for residential use or used for residential purposes.

  • A facility located within 200 feet of land zoned for residential use or used for residential purposes must maintain a 100-foot undisturbed buffer, measured from the nearest property line of the building or facility.

  • The Director of Development Services may reduce the 100-foot undisturbed buffer only if the building can be adequately integrated through a combination of location, design materials, colors, textures, screening, and landscaping.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
  • The Director of Development Services may reduce the required 100-foot undisturbed buffer when the facility can be adequately integrated into the site through its location, design materials, colors, textures, screening, and landscaping.

Sources

Specific to Douglas County only.

current law · County measure
Temporarily prohibits Douglas County from processing applications for data centers larger than 50,000 square feet for up to 90 days while the county reviews their fit with local plans.Douglas County Unified Development Code § 352 – Facilities for Computer Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services

What this means

The measure would pause key approvals for data centers larger than 50,000 square feet for up to 90 days, delaying new projects and expansions. It would not stop existing centers from operating or affect permits already approved, so the impact is serious but temporary.

Timing

Ends
completion of the County’s review and update to its Comprehensive Plan and/or Unified Development Code, or 90 days from enactment, whichever occurs first

The moratorium applies to specified applications for data centers and related facilities exceeding 50,000 square feet. Approved permits and applications completed before its effective date are unaffected, and variance and annexation procedures are not enforced during the moratorium. One description states 180 days after adoption, creating an expiration-period ambiguity.

People behind it

  • Proposed, introduced, approved, and adopted the resolution imposing the 90-day moratorium on data centers and accessory uses.

  • Proposed the text amendment clarifying the location, definition, and parking requirements for Data Processing Facilities or Centers.

  • Community Development Director and author of the memorandum transmitting staff's proposed text amendment.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements11
  • Creates a temporary moratorium of up to 90 days on accepting, processing, reviewing, or approving applications for data centers and related accessory uses, including development, zoning, site-plan, land-disturbance, building, and similar permits.

  • For facilities or campuses exceeding 50,000 square feet, the moratorium prohibits approvals for Future Land Use Map amendments, rezonings, special-use permits, and variances involving computer infrastructure providers, data processing, web hosting, and related services.

  • The moratorium also covers applications that have begun local or regional review but have not yet been duly advertised under the Zoning Procedures Law and the Douglas County Unified Development Code.

  • During the moratorium, covered applications that are accepted are deemed erroneous, null, and void and do not assure any right to conduct the proposed activity.

  • The moratorium prevents approval of expansions or new accessory uses associated with existing data centers during the moratorium period.

  • The moratorium lasts until the County completes its Comprehensive Plan and/or Unified Development Code review and update, or until 90 days after enactment, whichever occurs first.

  • Permits, applications, annexations, rezonings, and similar approvals existing before the resolution's effective date are not affected; existing lawful data centers and previously approved projects may continue under those approvals, but the exception does not authorize new development or expansion.

  • Applicants may seek a vested-rights exemption by submitting a written application with verified supporting data, documents, and facts for review by the Board of Commissioners.

  • Data Processing Facilities or Centers are permitted only in the O-D, L-I, and H-I zoning districts and are prohibited in the other listed zoning districts.

  • A Data Processing Facility or Center may be accessed only by employees, limiting public access to the facility.

  • Required parking is one space per employee on the largest projected shift, creating a minimum parking and associated site-development requirement.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions5
  • Data Processing Facilities or Centers are permitted uses in the Li, Hi, and NRC zoning districts, allowing development without special-use approval.

  • Parking requirements for Data Processing Facilities or Centers are reduced to one space per employee on the largest projected shift, instead of one space per 1,000 square feet of floor area.

  • Existing approved permits and pending applications, annexations, rezonings, and similar approvals made before the moratorium takes effect are not affected.

  • A project may request an exemption from the moratorium if the landowner acquired vested rights by making substantial expenditures in reliance on the likely issuance of a permit under the prior rules; the request must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation for Board review.

  • The moratorium is temporary and ends when the County completes its Comprehensive Plan or Unified Development Code review, or after 90 days, whichever occurs first.

Sources

expired · Unincorporated areas
Temporarily pauses zoning and land-use applications for data centers larger than 50,000 square feet, including related uses, for up to 90 days while the county reviews its plans.Georgia Douglas County Resolution No. 25-116 (2025)

What this means

The measure would pause land-use applications for new data center projects and expansions over 50,000 square feet for up to 90 days, delaying development while the county reviews its rules. It would not stop existing approved projects from operating, but the temporary halt is a substantial short-term barrier.

Timing

Ends
when the County completes its review and update to its Comprehensive Plan and/or Unified Development Code, or 90 days from enactment, whichever occurs first

The moratorium covers specified applications and public hearings for data centers and related facilities exceeding 50,000 square feet, including accessory structures and uses. Approved permits and applications from before the effective date are unaffected. Sources conflict, with the resolution also describing a 180-day expiration and possible extension by the Board of Commissioners.

People behind it

  • Proposed, adopted, approved, and administered the 90-day data center moratorium and its extension, including Resolution 25-116.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements11
  • Imposes a temporary moratorium on accepting, processing, or approving applications to develop, construct, expand, or operate data centers and related accessory uses.

  • For computer infrastructure, data processing, web hosting, and related facilities or campuses exceeding 50,000 square feet, the moratorium bars future land-use-map amendments, rezonings, special-use permits, and variances.

  • The moratorium applies to covered applications that had begun local or regional review but had not yet been properly advertised under the Georgia Zoning Procedures Law and the Douglas County Unified Development Code.

  • Suspends public hearings for covered land-use applications and facilities or campuses exceeding 50,000 square feet during the moratorium.

  • Applications accepted after the moratorium takes effect are deemed accepted in error, null and void, and do not assure the applicant a right to conduct the proposed activity.

  • The moratorium lasts until the County completes its Comprehensive Plan and/or Unified Development Code review and update, or until 90 days after adoption, whichever occurs first; it may also be terminated earlier or extended by subsequent County action.

  • Approved permits and applications, annexations, rezonings, and similar approvals completed before the resolution's effective date are exempt from the moratorium.

  • Applicants claiming vested rights based on substantial expenditures or reliance may seek an exemption by submitting a written request with verified supporting facts and documents for review by the Board of Commissioners.

  • Georgia utility applicants must pay a $100,000 fee to begin an application for service.

  • Data-center developers must provide collateral to utilities, with the required payments potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

  • Developers must sign 15-year contracts with power companies regardless of the data center's expected operating period.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions6
  • Facilities or campuses of 50,000 square feet or less are outside the moratorium’s stated scope.

  • Complete data-center or accessory-use applications submitted before the moratorium took effect may continue through review under the rules in effect when they were filed.

  • Permits, approvals, annexations, rezonings, and other vested or approved development rights established before the effective date are not affected, allowing qualifying projects to proceed with authorized construction and operation.

  • Data centers and accessory uses that were legally established or had valid approvals before the moratorium may continue operating.

  • Projects with vested rights may request an exemption by submitting a written application with verified supporting documents and facts for review by the Board of Commissioners.

  • The moratorium ends when the County completes its Comprehensive Plan or Unified Development Code review, or after 90 days, whichever occurs first.

Sources

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