This week’s Zoning In highlights just how rapidly the data center landscape is shifting—both in policy and public perception. From Virginia to California, state and local governments are tightening oversight, adding new zoning restrictions, and questioning whether data centers deliver enough community benefit to justify their scale and resource demands. In Virginia, multiple counties are now requiring special use permits, economic impact studies, and infrastructure assessments before approving new facilities. Meanwhile, states like New Jersey […]
Post Tagged with: "data center public relations"
Zoning In
The community relations battles and policy debates around U.S. data centers continue to accelerate — and the headlines are getting louder. This week’s Zoning In roundup brings one of our most diverse sets of stories yet: from a WIRED feature on how federal AI legislation may undermine local control over where data centers get built, to Dale Earnhardt’s widow facing nearly 200 protesting neighbors in North Carolina over her plan to redevelop Mooresville land into […]
Zoning In
From Indiana to California, developers and policymakers are navigating a wave of proposals driven by AI and hyperscale growth. Some regions, like Kansas and Indiana, are embracing the boom with new tax incentives and multi-billion-dollar investments from major tech players. However, local resistance is also intensifying: residents in Virginia, West Virginia, and Georgia are voicing concerns over noise, water usage, and environmental disruption, pressuring local leaders to slow down or reconsider projects altogether. On the […]
Zoning In
This week’s Zoning In covers a range of new developments and growing opposition across the U.S. as communities, regulators, and tech giants navigate the complex realities of data center expansion. From Bessemer, AL to Chesapeake, VA, we’re tracking the $64 billion community relations wake-up call in action. Highlights include: Data Center Developments & Community Responses Bessemer, Alabama: Residents Oppose Massive Data Center ProjectA proposed 4.5-million-square-foot data center, dubbed Project Marvel, is facing strong opposition from […]
Zoning In
Arizona Eyes Nuclear Reactors for Data Center Power Arizona is exploring the use of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to power massive tech facilities. House Bill 2774 would allow for deployment of these “nuclear batteries” without standard environmental or zoning reviews. Advocates see it as a way to meet high energy demands; critics call it risky deregulation.Read the full article at PHOENIX Magazine $64 Billion in Data Center Projects Face Local Pushback A new report […]
Zoning In
This week’s update reveals the push-pull between data center growth and public oversight across the U.S. In Kentucky, Oldham County’s planning board is building a framework to regulate data centers more tightly. At the same time, West Virginia just passed a law that bypasses local zoning altogether to attract more projects. Meanwhile, power constraints in Pennsylvania have halted a long-rumored AWS development, and in Virginia, the battle continues over who should pay for infrastructure serving […]
Zoning In
This week in data center drama: community clashes, regulatory shakeups, and a growing call for accountability. In Alabama, Meta’s Huntsville campus is earning praise for its low noise levels, while Bessemer residents are suing to stop a $14B facility they say threatens their health and quality of life. In Indiana, a 95-year-old orchard is fighting to protect its rural charm. And in West Virginia, a new law stripping local zoning control is being slammed as […]
Zoning In
This week, Pittsylvania County, VA, made headlines by firmly rejecting a hotly contested 750-acre data center and onsite power proposal after six months of public debate and protests. The Board of Supervisors denied the rezoning application in a 6-1 vote and blocked the developer’s last-minute withdrawal attempt, effectively delaying any reapplication for a year. The decision underscored the project’s deep community opposition, focused on rural preservation and environmental concerns, and spurred calls to update the […]
Zoning In
This week’s headlines spotlight a growing national reckoning over the power, land, and local control issues tied to the explosive growth of AI-fueled data centers. In Washington, federal regulators rejected Amazon and Talen Energy’s request to revisit a ruling that blocks a co-located data center from ramping up power use at a Pennsylvania nuclear plant—further signaling increased scrutiny of behind-the-meter energy arrangements. At the state level, Arizona’s utility regulators launched a formal review of grid […]
Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas Talks to Bisnow About Increased Data Center Regulations
As state-level regulations targeting data centers accelerate across the U.S., the industry faces a new wave of political and legislative challenges. From rising energy costs in Georgia to environmental mandates in California, data centers are now firmly in the crosshairs of policymakers. Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas recently spoke with Bisnow’s Dan Rabb about the growing need for data center firms to strengthen their public affairs and government relations strategies. As more states introduce policies that could […]



