Cherokee Seeks Residents’ Input on Data Centers as Application Pause Continues

Cherokee County residents will have a chance next week to help shape rules for data centers while a county moratorium keeps new applications on hold.

An open house on Thursday, Oct. 29, will run from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Etowah Room at the Northside Cherokee Conference Center at The Bluffs, 1130 Bluffs Parkway in Canton. Residents and business owners can arrive at any point during the two-hour session.

The county has no ordinances or policies specifically addressing data-center uses. Commissioners imposed a moratorium on new permit and zoning applications for data centers in July and later extended it through early 2027, giving staff time to develop an ordinance.

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No data-center applications had been filed before the moratorium took effect, county officials said. The upcoming meeting concerns the rules being developed for that use, rather than approval of a particular project.

“This is an important topic we want to hear from our residents and business owners about,” Community Development Director Brantley Day said.

Day said Cherokee’s rocky terrain makes it less inviting for data centers, which typically require large areas of flat land. Even so, he said, the county wants residents to have a say because of the potential effects on a community.

Staff will be stationed at information tables to answer questions and hear feedback. There will be no formal presentation, and activities for children will be available.

The session falls during National Community Planning Month, which focuses on the role of long-term planning in neighborhood growth, housing, economic development and infrastructure.