During a City Council work session Tuesday, Planning Director Cherith Young presented the idea, which stems from a recommendation by the Bristol Planning Commission earlier this month.
Commissioners voted on Aug. 18 to recommend the moratorium, saying the city’s zoning rules do not fully address emerging technologies such as large-scale data centers.
“So we, the staff, started preparing the M-2 ordinance, brought up the fact that we have some current and emerging technologies that our zoning ordinances do not address,” Young said. “And so, the Planning Commission discussed that particular item and data centers in particular.”
Data centers would include facilities and properties that involve data mining, cryptocurrency and bitcoin, and “all of those things that go under the blanket term of data center,” Young said.
In some communities, the data facilities have raised concerns over noise, land consumption and heavy utility use. Several cities and counties across the U.S. have adopted temporary bans or tightened regulations while considering how best to manage the industry.
Young noted that other communities in Northeast Tennessee, including Johnson City and Mountain City have recently discussed possible data centers. In June, the city of Johnson City passed a one-year moratorium on data centers. And earlier this month, Mountain City leaders failed to pass a zoning request for a bitcoin operation.
If enacted in Bristol, the moratorium would temporarily halt new data centers and related uses across the city. Young said the pause would allow the Planning Commission, City Council, and staff time to review land use compatibility, infrastructure needs and broader policy questions.
City Council could vote on the matter as soon as its September meeting.
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