During public comment, resident Matt Shaw called data centers a “blight on the landscape.” Nader Dagher urged commissioners to impose a moratorium so the county could examine potential long-term effects before allowing development.

The commission’s rules provide a framework for regulating data centers, but they do not resolve every issue raised by residents. Commissioners also added a requirement to review how close a data center may be to homes. That question will need additional approvals and public hearings.

District 14 Commissioner Joshua Beal acknowledged that the new measure leaves gaps, saying it does not address “a lot of things.” Dagher said he plans to keep pressing county leaders for stricter protections, telling commissioners, “We want them to put the community first.”

Attorney David Raybin said local governments may face lawsuits if they enact outright bans or moratoriums on data centers, and he expects those challenges could be difficult for counties to win. He said Tennessee law generally gives property owners broad rights to use their land, and argued that zoning rules are among the limited tools local governments can use under current law.

Raybin said broader changes may require action by state or federal lawmakers. Tennessee legislators could give local governments more authority to regulate data centers—or restrict local zoning powers and give developers more latitude. The direction of any legislation remains uncertain.

For Montgomery County residents, the debate is not over with the commission’s vote: the rules establish initial limits, while decisions about setbacks from homes and the possibility of stronger measures remain open to further public discussion.