-Staff reports-
Brice Wood
Residents will have an opportunity to comment before a possible vote on Aug. 25
Residents concerned about the potential effects of data center development, including continuous noise, heavy electricity demand, water consumption, and long-term environmental impact, will have an opportunity to review and comment on a proposed Floyd County ordinance designed to address those concerns.
The Board of Commissioners reviewed the proposed ordinance under first reading during their meeting on Tuesday, August 11. The second reading, including a public comment period and vote are scheduled for the Commission’s Tuesday, August 25 meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the Floyd County Administration Building located at 12 E. Fourth Ave.
The proposal will only allow data centers in the Heavy Industrial zoning district to establish several safeguards and standards that must be met before any permits are considered.
These requirements are intended to address many of the concerns residents commonly raise about large data center projects: noise, utility and water usage, environmental impacts, and future land use.
Work on the ordinance amendment has been ongoing for about a year.
“You guys approached me and said let’s be proactive, let’s make this ordinance, and let’s adopt it in advance so we can go ahead and get some guardrails in place,” said Rome-Floyd County Planning Director Brice Wood. “Currently, as you know, we have multiple projects being proposed. As you also know, none of them have applied for any permits, and none of them are definitive at this moment. None of them have broken ground or started construction; we’ve just had multiple proposals. That said, the ordinance amendment states that data centers will continue to be allowed in the heavy industrial zone by right, subject to limitations. Those limitations are lengthy.”
Noise limits apply at property lines
The proposed ordinance requires every data center applicant to complete an acoustic or noise study. Sound-reducing walls would be required around outdoor generator areas, and additional noise-control measures could be required for the main buildings.
When a facility is next to residential zoned property, noise measured at the property line could not exceed 65 dB(A) between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and 55 dB(A) between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. The limit next to other zoning districts will be 70 dB(A).
For reference, federal hearing-health resources generally place a whisper near 30 dBA and normal conversation between 60 and 70 dBA. These comparisons are approximate because perceived noise depends on distance, duration, surroundings, and the type of sound being produced.
These standards would apply to cooling equipment, facility operations, and backup generators.
The ordinance would also require primary data center buildings to use sound-reducing construction materials. Metal-panel construction would be permitted only when an acoustic analysis shows that the building can meet the County’s property-line noise limits.
Data center buildings will be required to remain at least 600 feet from an existing home. A 300-foot setback and buffer would be required next to residential- or agricultural-zoned property, with additional setback requirements for nearby commercial and industrial properties. Generators and related equipment would also be subject to residential setbacks and evergreen screening.
Utility capacity documentation required
Before receiving permits, a developer would have to submit a power, water, and broadband internet impact study showing the project’s expected demand at full development, its proposed construction phases, and any off-site improvements needed to serve it.
No permits could be issued until affected utility providers confirmed in writing that adequate electricity, water, sewer, and natural-gas capacity would be available when the project was completed.
The developer will be required to enter into binding agreements with utility providers to fund and complete necessary utility extensions or improvements. Those agreements will require monitoring, reporting and enforcement provisions.
Facilities expected to use more than 10 megawatts of electricity will be required to submit an energy and sustainability plan to explain how the company will improve efficiency, reduce carbon intensity, and limit environmental effects.
Water use restrictions
The proposed ordinance would prioritize closed-loop cooling systems, which reuse water rather than continuously drawing a new supply.
A data center proposing water-cooled equipment would have to install a water reclamation and reuse system. The developer would also have to demonstrate that its chosen cooling system is the least water-intensive technology feasible for the site.
Facilities will be required to follow water-use limits and efficiency requirements established by the applicable utility provider. The proposal would prohibit private wells, direct connections to surface-water sources or aquifers, and private septic systems. Public sewer service would be required.
Environmental and neighborhood protections
The ordinance requires that the projects utilize dark-sky-compatible outdoor lighting and limit light spilling across property lines. Public-facing security fencing cannot consist of chain link, barbed wire, razor wire, or solid metal panels. Landscaping or decorative materials would be required to reduce the visual impact from public roads.
Backup generators would generally be limited to emergency use, with required testing and commissioning. The proposal also contains generator performance and emission control standards.
Each facility would have to prepare an emergency response plan in coordination with local fire and emergency services before receiving a Certificate of Occupancy. Appropriate fire-suppression systems would be required, and operators could be required to participate in emergency drills with local agencies.
Developers responsible for site cleanup
Before any permits are issued for a proposed data center project, its developer will have to submit a plan for eventually closing the facility, removing equipment and structures, safely disposing of hazardous materials, testing soil and groundwater, cleaning up contamination, and restoring the property.
The developer will also have to provide a bond, escrow account, letter of credit, or another approved financial guarantee to cover the full cost of decommissioning and restoring the site.
The County will be able to use that money to complete the work if the developer fails to meet its responsibilities. The financial guarantee would not be released until inspectors verified that the site had been properly cleaned and restored.
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