Moore County begins writing the rules for data centers

P&Z weighs heavy industrial zoning, water limits, setbacks, cooling systems, and noise standards during moratorium

9:24 p.m. Oct. 6, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County’s two-year moratorium on data centers is already in place. Tuesday night, Oct. 6, Planning and Zoning commissioners started working on the rules they want waiting behind it – zoning, water use, noise, cooling systems, building height, setbacks, and backup power.

Board members said they have been advised that the moratorium itself could face a legal challenge, making it important to have regulations on the books.

“What we’ve been advised by the state, the moratorium could be beat if they challenged it,” Chairman Deter Golden said. “You’re best to have a rule put in place and write it for what you need to protect you. Because if they do get by it, you have nothing to protect your town.”

No final action was taken Tuesday. The proposed standards still have to be written, reviewed, and sent to the Metro Council.

Heavy industrial zoning

The discussion started with I-1 light industrial zoning, but moved toward I-2 heavy industrial. One concern was whether restrictions placed on a zoning district would also have to apply to other businesses already operating there.

“If we make rules for I-1, everybody in I-1 is going to have to follow those rules,” Scott Fruehauf noted. “If everybody in I-1 doesn’t have to follow those rules, then they’re not rules, and you’re picking and choosing.”

For now, the commission favored I-2.

Members also discussed whether Moore County could create another industrial classification for uses with heavier infrastructure demands and whether rules can be written specifically for data centers instead of every business in the same zone.

“I’m going to ask that question before the council takes a vote on it next month,” said Golden, who is a District 3 Metro Council member.

Water and cooling

The working proposal on water would cap what is available to a data center at 100,000 gallons, although the exact language still has to be worked out. Members stressed that the amount would not reset every month.

Closed-loop cooling stayed on the list. “I think we ought to specify a closed-loop cooling system,” commissioner Jim Crawford said. “So they won’t have a discharge. They won’t have to have a cooling tower.”

Both the water limit and closed-loop cooling remained in the working proposal.

Setbacks, height, and generators

Other ideas included a 35-foot maximum building height and a 500-foot separation from residential areas, schools, town areas, and other high-density locations.

Crawford pointed to data centers elsewhere that have relied on groups of gas turbine generators, bringing added noise, heat, and air emissions.

“I think we ought to specify that the only auxiliary power would be for emergency power outages unless they had a specific license that had to come through the county,” he said.

How loud is 60 decibels?

Noise took up a good chunk of the discussion. The commission worked from a possible 60-decibel ceiling measured 500 feet from a facility.

“I don’t think we want anything over 60 decibels,” Crawford said. “We’re talking about what kind of distance would that business have to have from, you know, like a normal public area.”

“500 feet,” Fruehauf answered.

“So 60 decibels from 500 feet would be pretty reasonable, I would think,” Crawford said.

For context, OSHA’s sound scale puts an urban residence at about 50 decibels and a conversation from three feet away at about 60. Classroom chatter is around 70, while a freight train heard from 100 feet away is about 80.

The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning relatively small changes in the number represent much larger changes in sound pressure. Members floated a lower nighttime ceiling, roughly 50 decibels, and discussed a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. timeframe.

The Metro Council meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at the American Legion, 119 Booneville Hwy.

Board members Jimmy Hammond and Tonya Groce were absent.

• Because of Election Day, the Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 3 at the American Legion building.