Communities across the country increasingly are confronting the potential development of data centers. With similar controversies popping up in the Ozarks, Stone County leaders have decided to place a year-long moratorium on data centers and similar projects.
Last week, the Stone County Commission presented a resolution to the Stone County Planning and Zoning Commission that would place a temporary 12-month moratorium on solar energy systems, wind energy conversion systems, battery energy storage systems and data centers, according to a county commission Facebook post. The planning commission approved it unanimously.
According to the resolution itself, the moratorium will be in place to allow the county time to figure out appropriate rules and regulations for such developments. In response to concerns raised by residents, the commission will consider revisions to zoning regulations and other standards “to protect the health, safety and general welfare of Stone County,” the document stated…