File #: 2025-0972    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Ordinance Status: Preliminary Item
File created: 6/25/2025 In control: Planning Commission
On agenda: 11/6/2025 Final action:
Title: COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): All Districts Application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter 27 to Establish a Definition, Regulatory Guidelines, and Development Standards for Data Centers in M (Industrial), M-2 (Heavy Industrial), O-I (Office-Institutional), and O-D (Office-Distribution) zoning districts. This text amendment is County-wide.
Attachments: 1. Dir. P&S Data Centers (2025-0972) Nov. 2025 Staff Report TA-25-1247647, 2. Data Centers Text Amendment Ordinance_draft TA-25-1247647 Nov. 2025, 3. TA-25-1247647 (2025-0972) Sept. BOC 2025 Staff Report Data Centers, 4. Data Centers Text Amendment Ordinance_draft TA-25-1247647_Sept. 2025, 5. TA-25-1247647 (2025-0972) Sept. PC 2025 Staff Report Data Centers

Public Hearing: YES ? NO ? Department: Planning & Sustainability

SUBJECT:
Title
COMMISSION DISTRICT(S): All Districts
Application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter 27 to Establish a Definition, Regulatory Guidelines, and Development Standards for Data Centers in M (Industrial), M-2 (Heavy Industrial), O-I (Office-Institutional), and O-D (Office-Distribution) zoning districts. This text amendment is County-wide.
Body

PETITION NO: D1-2025-0972 TA-25-1247647
PROPOSED USE: Data Centers in M, M-2 & O-I zoning districts.
LOCATION: County-wide.
PARCEL NO.: N/A
INFO. CONTACT: Eva Chauveau, Long Range Planner
PHONE NUMBER: 404-371-2155

PURPOSE:
Application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter 27 to Establish a Definition, Regulatory Guidelines, and Development Standards for Data Centers in M (Industrial), M-2 (Heavy Industrial), O-I (Office-Institutional), and O-D (Office-Distribution) zoning districts. This text amendment is County-wide.


RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
COMMUNITY COUNCIL: (October 2025) CC-1: Approval; CC-2: Deferral; CC-3: Full-cycle deferral; CC-4: Full-cycle deferral; CC-5: Full-cycle deferral. (August 2025) CC-1: Full-cycle deferral; CC-2: Deferral; CC-3: Full-cycle deferral; CC-4: Denial; CC-5: Denial.

PLANNING COMMISSION: (Nov. 6, 2025) Pending. Sept. 9, 2025) Full-Cycle Deferral.

PLANNING STAFF: (November 2025) Approval. (September 2025) Approval.

STAFF ANALYSIS: While the proposed ordinance may not address every potential issue at this time, it establishes a necessary regulatory framework to guide the location and operation of data centers within DeKalb County. In the absence of such regulations, these facilities could locate in areas where they may be incompatible with surrounding uses or community expectations. As the County gains experience administering these provisions, refinements can be made to addr...

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