The Shelby County Commission deferred voting on two regulatory items related to data center development in the unincorporated parts of the county at its Oct. 26 regular meeting without protest, indicating further workshopping is to come in the next few weeks.
The first item, if approved, would change the Memphis and Shelby County Unified Development Code to implement regulations on new and existing data centers. Commissioner Amber Huett-Garcia brought it to the board and has said it is meant to work in tandem with the City of Memphis' regulation of these facilities. It was held and not voted on to allow time for continued expert weigh-in and a community meeting, proposed by Commissioner Karen Streeter.
center moratorium. Is it legal?
Huett-Garcia's legislation seems to have widespread support of the board, though, with seven other commissioners co-sponsoring the ordinance by the end of the Oct. 26 meeting. Huett-Garcia's efforts were also praised by numerous commissioners in a previous committee meeting, and it seems like the board will continue to shape the ordinance into its final form before a vote.
The Commission also delayed a vote on a 12-month moratorium on data centers in the county, sponsored by Commissioner Henri E. Brooks. As Huett-Garcia's ordinance currently stands, its passage would replace Brooks' moratorium with concrete regulations.
In the meeting, Brooks said she has several proposed amendments to the moratorium to ensure the county is staying in its legal lane, and wanted to give the body more time to workshop before advancing it further.
Annie Goldman covers government for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at annie.goldman@commercialappeal.com or 901-930-7431, and followed on X @AnnieSGoldman.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Shelby County Commission buys more time to work on data center regulations
