Facts Matter. Data Centers and the Bulldog Drive Property

In the coming weeks, we'll be releasing a series of posts intended to educate and inform Walker County residents about issues that need clarification. We begin with the county's moratorium on new data center projects.

First, it's important to note the moratorium applies only to unincorporated Walker County. Each city would need to take its own action. The purpose of the county's moratorium is straightforward: it provides the Board of Commissioners time to study the various types of data centers, understand their potential impacts, gather public input, and determine what policies or regulations should be considered before approving future projects. It is a planning tool - not a decision to approve or reject any specific project.

For some time, it has been the Chair's goal to identify and sell county-owned property that is no longer serving a public purpose. As part of that effort, she researched the role of the Joint Development Authority, commonly referred to as the JDA, and the economic benefits it provides to the four counties it serves. The JDA's mission is to market available properties and attract a variety of businesses that can create jobs, expand the local tax base, and encourage responsible economic development.

The Bulldog Drive property is an example of that process. On February 6th, representatives from the County, the City of Rossville, the JDA, and a potential buyer met. Everyone at that meeting was in agreement that the potential buyer's business concept was a good fit for the city of Rossville.

The Board of Commissioners gave approval on May 7th to convey the four-acre property to the JDA for the purpose of selling it, as agreed upon in February. The sale officially closed July 13th to BridgTRK, a Chattanooga based logistics company, that needed access to EPB's Quantum Center. Their operations do not require water and will not impact those who have EPB as their power provider.

Also important to understand is this property sale and the recent 30-day data center moratorium are separate matters. Through the guidance of the county attorney, the Board will consider a 180-day extension to the moratorium to allow time to study an emerging industry and make informed decisions for the future.