ATHENS, Ala. — Athens city leaders are getting ahead of the curve on data centers, even as they say the city almost certainly lacks the space to accommodate one.
Following weeks of online speculation and hundreds of constituent phone calls to city hall, the Athens City Council voted unanimously to amend the city’s zoning ordinance to address how a data center within city limits would be handled. Under the change, any data center seeking to locate in Athens would be required to build inside the city’s industrial park.
The amendment classifies data centers as a “conditional use” within the industrial zone, meaning any company that wants to set up shop would need to obtain special permits and clear a formal public input process before breaking ground…