The City of Lovejoy in Clayton County, Georgia, approved an ordinance on Monday, September 28, 2026, that bans data center construction within city limits. The action followed months of opposition to a proposed campus near two schools, according to Atlanta News First.
The ordinance prohibits data centers in the city, repeals an article governing special administrative permits, and sets standards for high-density housing. It follows a dispute over Stillwater Development's plan for a 3.5 million-square-foot data center campus at 11760 Panhandle Road. The company filed plans in December 2025 for 15 buildings with 1.25 gigawatts of capacity at full build-out.
The site sits close to Michelle Obama STEM Elementary Academy and Eddie White Middle School. In its Developments of Regional Impact submission, the city cited existing congestion on Panhandle Road caused by school traffic and warned that added traffic could create delays for drivers, school buses and parents dropping off students. Residents also raised concerns about effects on natural resources.
Stillwater withdrew its application in August. Lovejoy is excluded from Clayton County's broader moratorium on data center development, so the city adopted its own ordinance. Mayor Marci Fluellyn said the developers are now pursuing a residential project for the site.
The Lovejoy vote adds to a series of local restrictions on data center projects across metro Atlanta, where counties and cities have weighed moratoriums and zoning changes as proposals for large campuses multiplied through 2025 and 2026. Clayton County adopted its moratorium earlier, and the Lovejoy ordinance now sets a permanent prohibition within the city boundary.
Source: Atlanta News First - https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/09/29/city-lovejoy-passes-ordinance-banning-data-center-construction/