Gainesville area.

They are planning one southwest of Raleigh and the locals are strongly against it. Can’t blame them one bit. Unfortunately they have built all this AI nonsense into everything now and the monster needs to be fed.

built somewhere. Protect your water, make them pay the upgrade price for Electricity, but don't ban them.

I think the state will try to get ahead of things, rather than have a patchwork of laws across the state.

The state may try to prevent an outright ban, but ultimately, local authorities will have the final say on approving data center projects in their town/city/county.

Infrastructure. BIG CELL can place a transmitter in your street right of way 50 feet from your bedroom and u have zero recourse.

erecting a tower on a very small parcel is different than a large footprint structure (although I get the precedent idea) They won't "ban" data centers - they will "require" buildings, any building, over a certain footprint - or over a certain utility requirement - to have, say...stricter water run off regulations, provide their own utilities - or pay for infrastructure - roads, etc. around it - making them less cost effective in their area. Localities walk a fine line giving tax breaks for a tax base and keeping residents happy with "planning"

I hear you on the precedent that set, but I'm not aware of any legislation saying that no locality can deny a data center. But, I've certainly been wrong before...

Monstrous sized data centers. What happens most of the time, city and/or county officials are made promises that the developers never intend to keep. Land is assembled by front men a most have no idea which of the megacorps will own and operate. Local politicians and planners are so hungry for growth they accept job creation and incremental tax base contribution estimates with no outside consultancy and little to no public disclosure. Small towns especially in poor areas simply railroad the projects through and ignore citizen input. A vast number of these mega enters are grouped in desert areas which are already under great stress regarding fresh water rationing. Several incidents of center owners sinking massive wells into the aquifer pulling millions of gallons of clean water monthly with no oversight or approval. We are living in the Wild West concerning the great data center rush. Americans are waking up thanks to alternative news coverage but it’s too late for Northern Virginia, Colorado River Basin, West Memphis, the new town of Columbus Ohio and on and on.

In fact, my parents are likely to be affected by a new data center development that Goochland plans to allow, which is going to directly affect me someday if I happen to outlive them and get tasked with selling their home. But that still does not refute my point that local authorities have the "final say". That may not mean that said local authoritues will act in the best interest of their constituents, but it also doesn't mean that the state government can overtly force localities to allow data centers to be approved...at least, not yet. I wouldn't put anything past the current administration... Electing representatives who will stand on principle rather than on policies that will lead to their own enrichment has never been more important, IMO...