Roswell has blocked new data centers from being built in the city while officials work on rules to govern them. The ban has been in place since January and is set to expire June 26, though city staff plans to ask for another extension.
What’s happening: The Mayor and City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 12 to stop new data center applications from moving forward. At the time, Roswell had no rules specific to data centers in its zoning code. Data centers already operating in the city are not affected, and neither are projects that already had legal development rights before the ban took effect.
The timeline:
- Jan. 12: Mayor and Council unanimously approve a 90-day ban and direct staff to begin writing rules.
- March 23: Mayor and Council approve a 95-day extension, moving the expiration date to June 26.
- May 19: The Planning Commission hears a staff presentation based on a 27-page research document and a proposed framework for restricting data centers in the city.
- June 4: The Planning Commission holds a public hearing on data centers and their potential effects, then defers the item to its June 16 meeting.
What’s new: Staff plans to ask for a third extension. A council agenda item originally set for June will be pushed back, with the Mayor and Council now expected to take up the issue in late July or August…