Knox County Data Center District (pending)
Knox County, TN Proposed Data Centers Zoning District + Moratorium Resolution
Knox County, TN · Knox County, Tenn., proposed Data Centers Zoning District + moratorium resolution (pending, June 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Data center and crypto-mining developers in unincorporated Knox County
- Enforced by
- Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission; Knox County permitting
Knox County commissioners are drafting a new zoning category just for data centers, requiring conditional-use approval for facilities over 10 megawatts or using more than 20,000 gallons of water a day. A companion resolution would freeze new data center permits countywide until June 30, 2027 while the rules are written.
Who is protected: Residents of unincorporated Knox County, particularly rural communities
Legal detail
Proposed amendment to Knox County Code adding a Data Centers Zoning District (conditional use for >10 MW, aggregated-capacity anti-circumvention rules, 20,000 GPD water threshold, TDEC-approved wastewater cooling), plus a draft moratorium resolution through June 30, 2027 for facilities ≥5 MW.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Knox County, TN |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Citation | Knox County, Tenn., proposed Data Centers Zoning District + moratorium resolution (pending, June 2026) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| Agency page | Data Center Zoning Ordinance Amendments — Knox County Commission |
More AI rules in Knox County, TN
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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