Atlanta could ban data centers along the Beltline

The Atlanta City Council is considering banning data centers along the Beltline corridor and near rapid transit stops, fearing the massive facilities would disrupt walkability on the multi-use path and consume too much electricity . “The legislation mirrors similar bans on new storage facilities, gas stations and drive-thru restaurants in the Beltline overlay district, which city leaders say should encourage pedestrian-oriented developments” , explains Zachary Hansen in Governing.

The proposed legislation would not affect existing centers, but it could prevent their expansion. “The legislation was also influenced by Georgia Power’s recent request for regulators to approve huge amounts of new power generation capacity – primarily powered by fossil fuels – primarily due to the large number of power center projects data across the state. Georgia Power executives have said data centers are responsible for about 80% of the demand crisis it claims to be facing.