Clinton approves six-month hold on data centers

July 8, 2026 by Ben Pounds

The Clinton City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on new data centers while city staff reviews how the facilities should be regulated under the city’s zoning ordinance.

The moratorium was approved unanimously during the council’s June 22 meeting.

Council member Wendy Maness made the motion, and Vice Mayor Larry Gann seconded it.

Members David Queener and Brian Hatmaker were absent.

City Manager Roger Houck said staff members have been discussing data center regulations and will continue working with the city’s Planning Commission on the issue.

Under Clinton’s current zoning ordinance, Houck said, data centers could locate only in industrial zones.

“The other problem that they would have is that the definition of a data center does not exist in our zoning,” Houck said.

He added that anyone seeking to build a data center would have to appear before the Board of Zoning Appeals to determine whether such a use is permitted.

Houck said the moratorium gives the city time to determine how to proceed while ensuring any regulations comply with constitutional requirements.

“We just need to make sure that legally we’re not violating anybody’s rights,” he said.

The moratorium applies only within the Clinton city limits. Anderson County recently approved a separate two-year moratorium that applies to unincorporated areas outside the county’s cities.

Appointments

At Mayor Scott Burton’s request, the council reappointed Jim McBride to the Clinton Utilities Board; Carl Bailey and David Queener to the E-911 Emergency Communications District; and Jess Ann Cole to the Anderson County Library Board. The council also appointed Jason Brown to the Anderson County Tourism Advisory Board.

Utilities

Council member Rob Herrell reported that the Clinton Utilities Board approved its 2026-27 budget with no increases to water, sewer or electric rates.







Wendy Maness



Larry Gann