The Floyd County Commission in Georgia voted to approve an amendment to the county data center ordinance after a public hearing held in front of a full room.
The revised rules confine data centers to the Heavy Industrial zoning district and impose conditions that must be satisfied before any permit is considered. Rome-Floyd County planning director Brice Wood said violations carry a potential fine of 1,000 dollars per day, the maximum allowed under state law, and that repeated noncompliance can result in suspension or revocation of a business license or certificate of occupancy.
Noise limits are measured at the property line. The ordinance sets 65 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 55 dB(A) overnight next to residentially zoned property, with a 70 dB(A) cap next to other districts. Every applicant must complete an acoustic study and wall off outdoor generator areas. Buildings must sit at least 600 feet from an existing home, with a 300 foot setback and buffer next to residential or agricultural zoning.
Developers must file power, water, and broadband impact studies. No permits issue until utility providers confirm in writing that adequate electricity, water, sewer, and natural gas capacity will exist at completion. Facilities above 10 megawatts must submit an energy and sustainability plan.
The ordinance prioritizes closed-loop cooling, bans private wells and septic systems, requires dark-sky lighting, and requires developers to post a bond or letter of credit covering full decommissioning and site restoration. Wood advised against an outright ban, noting that some states have stripped that authority from cities that attempted it.
Source: WRGA News - https://www.1049therebel.com/2026/08/25/floyd-county-commission-approves-data-center-regs-in-front-of-a-packed-room/