The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Greene County
Anti-Data Center Policies
Greene County limits data centers to its M-2 zone and requires special-exception approval, a paid noise-and-vibration study, and compliance with strict sound limits, making development or expansion harder.
current law · Unincorporated areasRestricts data centers in unincorporated Greene County to the M-2 high-impact district and requires special-exception approval plus an independent noise-and-vibration study and mitigation.Greene County Zoning Resolution Amendment Regulating Data Centers and Cryptocurrency Mining (March 18, 2024)
What this means
This would not ban data centers, but would limit them to the county’s M-2 zone and require special-exception approval. Applicants would also need a paid noise-and-vibration study and must meet strict sound limits, creating significant hurdles to building or expanding a facility. The rules require an environmental noise assessment.
People behind it
- Pam Carpenter
Moves approval of Resolution M.
- Jeffery Bible
Seconds the motion to approve Resolution M.
- Kevin Morrison
County mayor who calls the Resolution M vote.
Show 1 more peopleShow fewer people
- Lyn Ashburn
WGRV identifies Ashburn as planning commission research and special-projects staff who prepared the revised regulations.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements5
M-2 Heavy Impact Use District special-exception approval, with BZA approval before Planning Commission site-plan consideration.
Minimum 200-foot setbacks from all property lines, with actual setbacks determined by the environmental noise assessment; minimum lot size also depends on the assessment.
Environmental noise assessment before applying for a special exception, performed by an applicant-funded qualified third-party acoustical engineer.
Requires modeling for daytime property-line noise no greater than five dB above ambient and nighttime noise no greater than ambient; A-weighted decibel measurements cannot determine the maximum noise levels.
Acoustic engineer must verify and certify installed noise barriers and vibration isolation measures. If the county finds probable cause of a violation, the owner must hire a third-party engineer to determine compliance.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
Provides a conditional approval pathway rather than a categorical ban: data centers, cryptocurrency mining and like uses are added as M-2 special exceptions.
Sources
Data provided by Regbase · Cookie preferences · Report missing data