Government
Jefferson County Reviews Criteria for New Data Centers
Development Services Director Josh Johnson provided an update Thursday on efforts to create criteria for large data centers in unincorporated Jefferson County.
County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said during a Dec. 8, 2025, meeting that the county needed to set regulations on development of the controversial facilities, which are being built at a rapid pace across the country to meet growing computer needs. He asked Johnson and his staff to prepare a report on the matter.
“As of right now in our current zoning ordinance, which we updated last year, we do not have a provision that would say data centers are specifically allowed with any of our zoning categories,” Johnson said during Thursday’s commission meeting. “What we’re working on right now is an environmental impact review that would let us have the right criteria (to) ask the right questions up front to the developer coming in that wants to build these types of data centers and other heavy industrial, heavy utility intensive type uses. Then we’ll be able to make a recommendation to you all (commissioners) based off that.”
Johnson said he and his staff have met with the County Attorney Theo Lawson and his team on the matter.
“They’ve given us some very constructive feedback on the draft that we had,” the Development Services Department director said. “I feel like we’ve asked the right questions in the draft. We just need to come up with good criteria that we would evaluate what’s presented to us so that we can make a recommendation.”
Stephens praised Johnson and his staff for consulting various experts to gather information needed for the decision.
During the meeting, the commission approved two matters of new business. The panel reaffirmed that the county will not participate in the Alabama Department of Corrections work release program in the future.
Commissioners also authorized a subrecipient agreement between the Jefferson County Department of Health and the commission on behalf of the coroner/medical examiner to purchase toxicology equipment.
