Walker County officials are beginning a formal review of local regulations governing data centers, with the first meeting of the newly formed Walker County Data Center Development Standards Study Committee scheduled for next week.

The committee will meet for the first time at 3 p.m. Thursday, August 27, at the Walker County Civic Center, located at 10052 Highway 27 in Rock Spring.

According to Walker County Government, the committee has been established to review the county’s existing Code of Ordinances as it relates to data center development.

The study will include a wide range of issues that could affect where and how future data centers are allowed to operate in Walker County. Those topics include allowable zoning districts, building setbacks, buffers, noise, lighting, environmental impacts and compatibility with surrounding land uses.

The committee may also consider other possible regulations designed specifically for large-scale data center developments.

Data centers have become a growing land-use issue across Georgia as communities consider the economic benefits of the facilities alongside concerns about electricity demand, water use, noise, environmental impacts and their effect on nearby residential and agricultural property.

Walker County says the study committee will meet every other Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Walker County Civic Center.

All meetings of the committee will be open to the public