Bernard Reynolds · October 29, 2026
What is happening
Local governments in southeast Georgia are setting rules for data centers before projects reach them. The Bryan County News reported this week that Liberty County commissioners voted unanimously for a 120-day moratorium beginning October 15, and that the City of Pembroke adopted a 180-day moratorium in the first week of October. Pembroke's mayor said the pause gives the city time to set rules before a proposal arrives and is not a response to any pending application. Bulloch County extended its original 90-day moratorium and seated a committee of residents nominated by commissioners to help draft an ordinance. County officials have said the pause could run beyond January 1 if needed.
The content of these ordinances is becoming specific. Statesboro finalized its ordinance in June. It requires a special use permit, a water management plan, closed-loop cooling as the baseline, a pre-construction sound study, a 50-acre limit, and a decommissioning plan. Pembroke's review will address water and wastewater capacity, electricity demand, noise, lighting, public safety, and the distinction between large-scale facilities and the smaller technology infrastructure that local businesses and hospitals use.
These local actions follow a legislative session that ended in April without new statewide data center regulation. Counties are filling that gap one jurisdiction at a time.
How this can affect local communities
Residents tend to raise the same questions. Water use and wastewater capacity matter most in places with limited municipal systems. Electric rates are a concern wherever large new loads require new generation and transmission. Noise and lighting affect nearby homes. Construction can last several years and bring heavy truck traffic.
The tax base is the strongest argument in favor. A December 2025 state audit analysis, as reported by the Statesboro Herald, put the average project value near $2.3 billion, with roughly $28 million in annual property tax per project. The same reporting notes that these facilities employ about 50 full-time workers, and that state and local tax incentives are estimated to cost about $2.5 billion in fiscal 2026. School systems and county governments need to understand how abatements, payments in lieu of taxes, and new infrastructure demands fit together. Where residents learn of a project late or from the press, trust erodes quickly, and it is difficult to rebuild.
How this can help a data center company
Clear local rules benefit developers as well. A defined permit process, known standards for cooling and noise, and a stated decommissioning requirement allow a company to price a project and schedule it. An ordinance written with input from the applicant's industry is less likely to be revised mid-application. Early, documented engagement with residents lowers the likelihood of litigation over rezoning and reduces the chance that a county responds to a controversy with a new moratorium. A company that has kept its commitments in one county is also better placed when it seeks an expansion, or when it begins its next site search elsewhere in Georgia.
How True North Strategies helps
True North Strategies is a statewide Georgia government affairs and grassroots firm. Our principals have worked with Georgia officials, agencies and local governments for more than thirty years. For companies entering the state, we provide:
• State and local government affairs, including work with the General Assembly, state agencies and the Public Service Commission process.
• Early engagement with county commissions, city councils and development authorities, before an application is filed.
• Grassroots and community engagement capacity, including public meetings, neighbor outreach and responses to resident questions.
• Written, enforceable community commitments on water, noise, traffic, decommissioning and local hiring, drafted so that a county can hold the company to them.
Contact
Companies evaluating Georgia sites are welcome to contact True North Strategies to discuss timing and approach before a site is announced.