WHY ONE ALABAMA CITY FAVORS REGULATION OVER DATA CENTER BAN

What happened: Irondale's planning and zoning commission voted to favorably recommend an 18-page zoning ordinance regulating data centers to the City Council, which will hold a binding vote likely in December. Mayor James Stewart, Jr. Why it matters: Stewart called moratoria "the easy way out" and said the city needs rules in place rather than deferring the issue. Councilman Aaron Sims, who proposed the ordinance after six months of study, said he does not expect a data center to come to Irondale.

Irondale's planning and zoning commission voted to favorably recommend an 18-page zoning ordinance regulating data centers to the City Council, which will hold a binding vote likely in December. Mayor James Stewart, Jr.

Stewart called moratoria "the easy way out" and said the city needs rules in place rather than deferring the issue. Councilman Aaron Sims, who proposed the ordinance after six months of study, said he does not expect a data center to come to Irondale.