LEESBURG, Ga. (WALB) — Two days after Leesburg city leaders passed a six-month moratorium on data centers, the city and county are discussing what comes next.

City Planner Robin Cailloux is drafting rules before any large-scale data center is proposed. The city said there are no active plans for such a development. Under the draft ordinance, industrial projects exceeding 50,000 square feet or using more than one megawatt of power would require special permits. Developers would also be required to pay for infrastructure upgrades and meet noise, odor, and setback requirements.

What the draft ordinance would require

Cailloux said the goal is to regulate impacts rather than specific technologies.

“How water is used, how power is consumed, the amount of power that’s consumed, all of that could change,” Cailloux said. “And that would make the ordinance either null and void or worse; they’d be coming back through variances.”

Residents push for stronger protections

Residents say the draft ordinance does not go far enough to protect them. They asked leaders to conduct more research and involve additional stakeholders in writing the rules. One resident called on the city to bring in the Lee County Planning and Zoning Office.

“I would also like that you recommend that the city utilize the county’s planning and zoning office for order of creation and your review and comment,” Megan Childs Weaver said. “The county’s planning and zoning office staff are approachable, resourceful, and committed. They are best invested in our community because they are a part of our community.”

Commission votes against ordinance

After about an hour of discussion, the planning commission voted 4-1 to recommend disapproval of the ordinance.

Planning Commission member John Clay said the zoning language needs to be strengthened.

“I just think that this zoning ordinance needs to be a little bit stronger,” Clay said. “Some of the things that were brought up needs to be added like pollution standards, the quality of the water control. That needs to be addressed a little bit better.”

What comes next

City Manager Bob Alexander said Thursday’s meeting is only the first step in a longer process.

“It’ll be up to the council to determine whether they want to obtain more information or whether they want to vote on it that night or table it until a future meeting so they can get more information,” Alexander said.

The planning and zoning commission serves as a recommending body. The city commission holds final authority on the matter.

The ordinance will go before the city council for a final vote on Sept. 1. If the council does not approve it, the city planner will revise the draft. If the council approves it, the current moratorium will automatically be lifted.

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