Two Alabama cities are preparing to take significant action on data center development this week, reflecting a growing debate among local governments over how — or whether — the rapidly expanding industry should fit into their communities.
Homewood City Council is scheduled to discuss a proposed ordinance related to data center moratoriums during its Monday meeting, while Cullman City Council is expected to consider a one-year moratorium on new data center projects and begin the process of potentially prohibiting data centers altogether through future zoning changes.
The actions come as cities across Alabama increasingly grapple with the potential benefits and drawbacks of large-scale data centers, which house computer servers and digital infrastructure that support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, internet services and other technology platforms.
Homewood considers moratorium
Homewood’s agenda includes a proposed ordinance related to data center moratoriums sponsored by Mayor Alex Andress and Councilman Nick Sims…