Milton's month-long freeze on data center applications reaches its decision point Monday, July 20, when the City Council holds a public hearing. The council will decide on whether to extend the ban, make it permanent, or let it expire.
The hearing is the first chance residents have had to formally weigh in since the council enacted the moratorium on Monday, June 15, with all members present voting yes. That vote stopped the city from accepting any data center rezonings, permits, or business licenses while staff drafted potential changes to Milton's Unified Development Code.
The moratorium expires Tuesday, July 21. If the council takes no action after the hearing, the freeze lapses and applications could resume.
How it started
Resident Dr. Cameron Howard pushed the council to act at its first June meeting, telling members he did not want to see Milton's remaining land bought and turned into a data center. Howard raised concerns about the strain such facilities place on power and water infrastructure.
"A lot of times with new infrastructure comes spreading the cost amongst many users, and that would affect many of us," Howard said at the meeting, according to Appen Media.
Two weeks later, the council voted to impose the moratorium. Council members Juliette Johnson and Carol Cookerly were absent; all members present voted yes.
City Attorney Ken Jarrard said the pause was meant to give staff time to prepare regulations before any developer filed an application. City staff have cited potential impacts on utility demand, noise, lighting, traffic, and emergency response as reasons for the freeze.
Why it matters locally
Georgia ranks among the top five states for data centers, with roughly 200 facilities statewide, according to Appen Media. The closest facility to Milton sits on a 14-acre site on Union Hill Road in Alpharetta.
The July 20 hearing was scheduled after the council moved at its July 6 meeting to extend the original 30-day moratorium through July 21, allowing time to legally notice the public hearing. City staff have been working on amendments to the development code that would address data center proposals if they come forward.
How to weigh in
The public hearing is Monday, July 20, at 6 p.m. at Milton City Hall, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton. The meeting is open to the public. Residents who want the council to hear their position on data centers in Milton should plan to attend or contact city officials before the vote.
