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Regbase

The Data Center Divide

Sullivan County

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

Slightly Pro-Data Center Policies

Sullivan County bars covered high-intensity, revenue-generating data-mining facilities, not ordinary computing businesses. Its new district limits data-center locations and imposes buffering and utility, noise, and water-use controls.

Rating from Tennessee statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Sullivan County.

Specific to Sullivan County only.

current law · County measure
This county moratorium temporarily prohibits covered data-mining centers, cryptocurrency-mining operations, blockchain-computing centers, and similar high-intensity, third-party revenue-generating facilities from locating, being constructed, or operating in Sullivan County, and pauses related county permits and zoning approvals.Sullivan County, Tennessee Resolution No. 2025-11-07, as amended (2026)

What this means

The proposal would bar covered data-mining facilities from being built or operated and deny them county approvals while the restriction applies. But it targets high-intensity, revenue-generating mining operations—not ordinary businesses using computing equipment—so it is not a ban on all data centers.

Timing

Ends
180 days after adoption

The measure includes a temporary moratorium on data-center development. The sources do not state an explicit calendar expiration date or indicate that the moratorium is indefinite.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2

  • Data centers may be developed only in property designated within the newly created data-center zoning district; locations outside that district are not authorized for data-center use.

  • Establishing a data center requires the property to undergo the applicable zoning approval process before construction or operation can begin.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1

  • Creates a zoning district specifically intended for data centers, establishing a designated location where data-center development may occur.

Sources

current law · Countywide for the Sullivan County PMD-3 zoning amendment; City of Bristol for the separate proposed city data-center ordinance
Would create PMD-3, the Planned Manufacturing District (Data and Energy Processing District), for high-intensity, technology-driven and energy-dependent uses such as data centers, battery storage, cryptocurrency mining, and large-scale data-mining facilities, with safeguards addressing utility capacity, energy and water use, noise, vibration, heat, light, and electromagnetic interference through the amendment text.Sullivan County, Tennessee PMD-3 Planned Manufacturing District (Data and Energy Processing) zoning amendment (2026)

What this means

The proposal creates a new district for data and energy processing, but limits where data centers can go and adds buffering and utility, noise, and water-use controls. These are meaningful siting and compliance hurdles, though the proposal does not ban data centers.

Timing

The sources identify a temporary moratorium on establishing permanent campgrounds, approved by the Bristol City Council on 2026-03-24, but do not state an expiration date, duration, or extension condition.

People behind it

  • Sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-01 concerning the zoning amendments.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-01 concerning the zoning amendments.

  • Applicant who proposed the rezoning of 118 Anco Place for an automotive repair shop.

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  • Proposed and submitted the PMD-3 data and energy processing zoning text amendment for review.

  • Sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-04-02 providing funding to PetWorks Animal Services.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-04-02 and sponsor or co-sponsor of several subsequent county resolutions.

  • Sponsor or co-sponsor of county resolutions concerning the litter grant, school grants, TVA funds, recyclable-plastic collection, and the sheriff’s co-response agreement.

  • Unnamed co-sponsor listed on Resolution No. 2026-06-03 concerning the donated recycling-center property.

  • Co-sponsor of the FY 2026 school grant resolutions.

  • Co-sponsor of the FY 2026 school grant resolutions.

  • Co-sponsor of the FY 2026 school grant resolutions and the proposed four-way-stop resolution.

  • Co-sponsor of the FY 2026 school grant resolutions.

  • Co-sponsor of the FY 2026 school grant resolutions.

  • Sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-08 appropriating Helene debris-reimbursement funds for the Nellie Pratt Swinging Bridge.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-08 and sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-14 concerning the General Fund budget.

  • Sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-09 concerning the sheriff’s hire, training, and recruitment grant.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-09.

  • Sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-10 approving the recycling-services memorandum with Bristol.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-10.

  • Sponsor of the proposed four-way-stop resolution and Resolution No. 2026-06-13 concerning the sheriff’s co-response agreement.

  • Co-sponsor of Resolution No. 2026-06-12 concerning recyclable-plastic pickup.

  • Department authorized to recognize, amend, and administer the school grant budgets addressed in Resolutions Nos. 2026-06-04 through 2026-06-07.

  • Department responsible for implementing the proposed four-way-stop signage and the Nellie Pratt Swinging Bridge repairs.

  • County department authorized to administer the Bristol recycling-services agreement and the Casella recyclable-plastic agreement.

  • Party responsible for implementing the co-response program and authorized to enter the memorandum with Frontier Health.

  • Party responsible for providing clinicians and behavioral-health services under the co-response memorandum.

  • Moved the Bristol Planning Commission recommendation on the Sullivan County PMD-3 data-center text amendment and the Vance Tank Road rezoning.

  • Seconded the Bristol Planning Commission motion recommending the Sullivan County PMD-3 data-center text amendment.

  • Property owner who requested the Vance Tank Road rezoning from Sullivan County R-1 to R-3.

  • Property owner who requested the Vance Tank Road rezoning from Sullivan County R-1 to R-3.

  • Seconded the Bristol Planning Commission motion recommending the Vance Tank Road rezoning.

  • Property owner associated with the Bristol rezoning request for the Zaidi property.

  • Applicant who proposed the Zaidi property rezoning.

  • Development entity identified as the applicant’s organization for the Zaidi property rezoning.

  • Applicant that submitted the Raytheon Road subdivision concept plan.

  • Developer who submitted the Taylor Meadows subdivision concept plan.

  • Organization designated to receive county funding and provide animal-control and shelter services.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements9

  • Data centers are intended to be located inside existing or planned industrial parks and surrounded by less-intensive industrial zoning; the PMD-3 District may not directly adjoin residential or agricultural districts.

  • A PMD-3 lot must contain at least 300,000 square feet and have at least 400 feet of width measured at the building line.

  • PMD-3 development is subject to a maximum height of 55 feet, unless the local fire department approves a greater height, and a two-story limit.

  • PMD-3 development must provide 100-foot minimum front, side, rear, corner-side, and arterial-or-collector-road setbacks.

  • A 50-foot perimeter buffering strip is required in PMD-3. It must be free of buildings, structures, signs, parking, and paved or hard surfaces and must contain year-round evergreen trees and shrubs planted in three staggered rows.

  • A 10-foot vegetative reserve strip must be maintained along all road frontages, free of structures and parking.

  • Required yards generally may not use more than 50 percent of their area for driveways; front-property-line parking is prohibited within 10 feet, and required-yard areas may not be used for storage or processing.

  • Outside storage in PMD-3 is allowed only in areas specifically designated for it on an approved site plan.

  • For PMD-3 activities classified as disruptive manufacturing, any lot line adjoining commercial or manufacturing property requires an open area at least 100 feet wide; the area may be used for parking or loading but not for storage or processing.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3

  • Creates a new PMD-3 Planned Manufacturing District specifically for high-intensity, technology-driven, energy-dependent uses, including data centers, battery energy storage systems, cryptocurrency mining, and large-scale data-mining facilities.

  • Adds data- and energy-processing activities to the manufacturing-district use tables, providing a zoning framework under which qualifying data-center uses may be approved in PMD-3 districts.

  • Allows PMD-3 buildings to exceed the standard 55-foot maximum height when approved by the local fire department, providing flexibility for taller facilities.

Sources

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