The Board revisited the proposed ordinance on June 2, holding discussion and inviting public input, but the record does not show a vote.
IssueStephens Countyunder consideration
Planning commission backs data-center rule change; county commissioners table adoption
Stephens County has been weighing detailed rules for data centers, including setbacks and noise limits, but commissioners have not yet adopted them.
Latest
June 2, 2026: Proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County
What happens next
No next step has been documented.
At a glance
What this means now
The story
The Stephens County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of changes to the CI Ordinance that would allow data centers as a conditional use.
The Board of Commissioners then took up a more detailed zoning text amendment for the Commercial Industrial District, laying out standards such as a 10-acre minimum site size, setbacks ranging from 100 to 1,000 feet depending on adjacent land use, a 500-foot buffer near residential or agricultural zoning, a 65 dB(A) noise limit at the property line, and fines of $1,000 per day for violations.
At that same April 28 meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to postpone adoption of the resolution putting the data centers ordinance into effect.
The Board revisited the proposed ordinance on June 2, holding discussion and inviting public input, but the record does not show a vote.
What happened
How this issue got here
Open any step for its supporting record. A proposal remains labeled as proposed until later evidence establishes an outcome.
Appeared on agendaproposedProposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County
Discussion on proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County.
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Proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County
Discussion on proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County.
DiscusseddiscussedProposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County
Discussion on proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County.
The Board held discussion concerning the proposed ordinance and welcomed public input.
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Proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County
Discussion on proposed ordinance governing data centers in Stephens County. The Board held discussion concerning the proposed ordinance and welcomed public input.
TabledconfirmedResolution to adopt data centers ordinance
Motion to postpone adoption of resolution for data centers ordinance: Commissioner Simmons
Second: Commissioner Wright
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Resolution to adopt data centers ordinance
Motion to postpone adoption of resolution for data centers ordinance: Commissioner Simmons Second: Commissioner Wright
Appeared on agendaproposedZoning ordinance amendment adding data center and digital infrastructure facility standards to Article XIV (CI - Commercial Industrial District)
Data centers and digital infrastructure facilities, provided that the following standards apply to all data centers regulated under this ordinance
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Zoning ordinance amendment adding data center and digital infrastructure facility standards to Article XIV (CI - Commercial Industrial District)
Data centers and digital infrastructure facilities, provided that the following standards apply to all data centers regulated under this ordinance
Appeared on agendaproposedZoning text amendment adding data center and digital infrastructure regulations as a conditional use in the C-I (Commercial Industrial) District
Data centers and digital infrastructure facilities, provided that the following standards apply to all data
centers regulated under this ordinance
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Zoning text amendment adding data center and digital infrastructure regulations as a conditional use in the C-I (Commercial Industrial) District
Data centers and digital infrastructure facilities, provided that the following standards apply to all data centers regulated under this ordinance
TabledunknownResolution adopting a data centers ordinance
Motion to postpone adoption of resolution for data centers ordinance: Commissioner Simmons
Second: Commissioner Wright
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Resolution adopting a data centers ordinance
Motion to postpone adoption of resolution for data centers ordinance: Commissioner Simmons Second: Commissioner Wright
ApprovedconfirmedAmendment to CI Ordinance to allow data centers as a conditional use
Motion to recommend Approval of Changes to the Cl Ordinance: Vice-Chairman lvester
Second: Commissioner Cobb
Discussion: No discussion
Vote: Unanimous
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Amendment to CI Ordinance to allow data centers as a conditional use
Motion to recommend Approval of Changes to the Cl Ordinance: Vice-Chairman lvester Second: Commissioner Cobb Discussion: No discussion Vote: Unanimous
ApprovedunknownAmendment to CI (Conservation Industrial) Ordinance to allow data centers as a conditional use
Motion to recommend Approval of Changes to the CI Ordinance: Vice-Chairman Ivester
Second: Commissioner Cobb
Discussion: No discussion
Vote: Unanimous
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Amendment to CI (Conservation Industrial) Ordinance to allow data centers as a conditional use
Motion to recommend Approval of Changes to the CI Ordinance: Vice-Chairman Ivester Second: Commissioner Cobb Discussion: No discussion Vote: Unanimous
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