Crossville City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance Tuesday to establish a two-year moratorium on data centers within the city limits.
Mayor RJ Crawford said the moratorium provides time for officials to establish proper guidelines and ensure that these facilities do not over-extend the city. Cumberland County has passed a similar ruling.
“I think it’s only appropriate that we do the same so that we can get on the same page with the county and set proper guidelines in this,” Crawford said. “Some of the speakers had mentioned make sure that we’re not draining the city resources.”
The council heard from several residents during public comment who expressed concerns regarding the environmental and infrastructure impacts of data centers. Resident Cody Flynn said the high-density computing facilities represent an existential threat to the local way of life and could permanently compromise the area’s peace and quiet.
“We should fight with seriousness, with every resource available to us to stop, or at least delay, these spiritually depraved and misery-inducing installations,” Flynn said. “Temporary moratoriums are entirely insufficient. We should aim for the most permanent bans possible, using every legal authority the city and county can muster.”
City Attorney Randall York said the ordinance must pass three readings to become official because it affects property rights. York said the city should work collectively with the county to address the situation and protect the community from potential legal challenges.
“It’s my understanding from around the country that data centers are attacking moratoriums such as this and that there are probably things that we need to be doing in the future to protect ourselves and our community and our citizens,” York said. “And I think that working collectively with the county would be the way to do that.”
Resident Anthony Capito said while he supports the pause, the city should remain open to future technological investments if water shortage issues are resolved. Capito said the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority is currently managing a critical water shortage that must be the council’s primary focus.
“I think it’s a great plan to put a pause on it for two years,” Capito said. “But should we have a solution before that, I would hope that we’re willing to invest into technology that unfortunately is the way of the future.”