Nashvillians speak out against data centers at a Metro Planning Commission meeting on June 11, 2026.
Photo: Julianne Akers
A long line of impassioned Nashvillians formed outside downtown's Howard Office Building Thursday to voice their support for rigorous data center regulations in Davidson County — as proposals to allow construction of the tech facilities stir controversy at both the local and national levels.
At what ultimately became a six-hour-long Metro Planning Commission meeting, residents urged the commission members to support Metro Councilmember Rollin Horton’s zoning ordinance seeking to impose restrictions on the location and operations of data centers in Nashville.
×
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kAm%96 4@>>:DD:@? G@E65 E@ 5676C G@E:?8 @? E96 >2EE6C E@ :ED yF?6 ad >66E:?8 E@ 2==@H |6EC@ !=2??:?8 s6A2CE>6?E DE277 >@C6 E:>6 E@ 2?DH6C BF6DE:@?D A@D65 3J 4@>>:DD:@? >6>36CD 2?5 E2<6 :?E@ 4@?D:56C2E:@? AF3=:4 7665324<] k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 5676CC2=[ E96 =68:D=2E:@? :D 4FCC6?E=J @? EC24< E@ 36 962C5 @? :ED D64@?5 @7 E9C66 C625:?8D 367@C6 E96 |6EC@ r@F?4:= @? yF=J f] %9:D H@F=5 :?4=F56 2 AF3=:4 962C:?8 5FC:?8 H9:49 C6D:56?ED 42? G@:46 E96:C DFAA@CE @C @AA@D:E:@? E@ E96 K@?:?8 >62DFC6D]k^Am
kAm&?56C w@CE@?’D =68:D=2E:@?[ 52E2 46?E6CD E92E 2C6 >@C6 E92? d__[___ DBF2C6 766E =2C86 H@F=5 36 32??65] ~E96C 52E2 46?E6CD H@F=5 36 4=2DD:7:65 2D D>2==[ >65:F> 2?5 =2C86] |65:F> 2?5 =2C86 52E2 46?E6CD 36EH66? a_[___ 2?5 chh[___ DBF2C6 766E H@F=5 36 2==@H65 @?=J :? :?5FDEC:2= K@?:?8 5:DEC:4ED 2?5 AC@9:3:E65 :? C6D:56?E:2= 2C62D 2?5 >:I65\FD6 5:DEC:4ED]k^Am
kAm$>2== 52E2 46?E6CD H@F=5 36 C6BF:C65 E@ 36 2E =62DE `__ 766E 7C@> C6D:56?E:2= 2C62D[ 52J42C6 46?E6CD[ C6=:8:@FD :?DE:EFE:@?D[ A2C<D[ K@@D 2?5 @E96C 52E2 46?E6CD] |65:F> 52E2 46?E6CD H@F=5 92G6 2 d__\7@@E D6A2C2E:@? C6BF:C6>6?E[ H9:=6 =2C86 52E2 46?E6CD H@F=5 C6BF:C6 2 92=7\>:=6 @7 D6A2C2E:@?]k^Am
kAm}@:D6 =:>:ED 2?5 C68F=2E:@?D @? H2E6C FD286 2?5 2:C A@==FE:@? 6>:EE65 7C@> E96 724:=:E:6D H@F=5 2=D@ 36 AFE :? A=246 F?56C w@CE@?’D =68:D=2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 =68:D=2E:@? 4@>6D :? E96 H2<6 @7 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?2D9G:==6A@DE]4@>^3FD:?6DD^2\4=@D6C\=@@<\:?E@\7:D<\D\`3\>2DE6C\A=2?\52E2\2?5\:??@G2E:@?\46?E6C^2CE:4=60ddaabca`\7ha6\cc7d\hf35\56ee6a222f_f]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmA=2? E@ 3F:=5 2 52E2 46?E6C @? E96 42>AFD @7 u:D< &?:G6CD:EJk^2m 2D H6== 2D 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?2D9G:==6A@DE]4@>^3FD:?6DD^56G6=@A>6?E^?2D9G:==6\K@@\52E2\46?E6C\D:K6\DE@C>H2E6C\CF?@77^2CE:4=60ea52cbah\624h\dcf5\g47c\d577e7df6b`2]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmAC@A@D2= E@ 4@?DECF4E 2 724:=:EJ ?6IE E@ E96 }2D9G:==6 +@@k^2m — 3@E9 H9:49 92G6 42FD65 AF3=:4 @FE4CJ 282:?DE E96 46?E6CD]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 2 AF3=:4 962C:?8 2E %9FCD52J’D >66E:?8[ 4:E:K6?D 6IAC6DD65 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 2?5 962=E9 4@?46C?D 7@C E96 A6@A=6 =:G:?8 :? E96 ?6:893@C9@@5D DFCC@F?5:?8 E96 AC@A@D65 52E2 46?E6CD 2D H6== 2D 7@C E96 K@@ 2?:>2=D]k^Am
kAm“x’> 8C2G6=J 4@?46C?65 23@FE E96 56EC:>6?E2= 962=E9 :>A24ED @7 52E2 46?E6CD[” y@J w6??:?8D6?[ 2 =@42= A9JD:4:2?[ D2:5 E@ E96 4@>>:DD:@?] “$A64:7:42==J[ :?4C62D65 42C3@? 6>:DD:@?D[ ?@:D6 A@==FE:@?[ =:89E A@==FE:@? 2?5 6=64EC@?:4 H2DE6 86?6C2E:@? — 2?5 E96D6 2C6 ;FDE E96 92C>D E92E H6 <?@H 23@FE] px 52E2 46?E6CD 2=>@DE 46CE2:?=J A@D6 E9C62ED E@ 9F>2? 962=E9[ 3@E9 >6?E2= 2?5 A9JD:42=[ E92E H6 5@?’E <?@H 23@FE J6E 2?5 AC@323=J H@?’E 7@C 564256D]”k^Am
kAm#@36CE %2E6[ H9@ =:G6D =6DD E92? 2 >:=6 7C@> E96 AC@A@D65 K@@\2C62 52E2 46?E6C[ D2:5 96 H@CC:6D 23@FE C2:D:?8 9:D J@F?8 52F89E6C :? 2 ?6:893@C9@@5 E92E @776CD 2 52E2 46?E6C] w6 FC865 E96 4@>>:DD:@? E@ DFAA@CE DEC:4E C68F=2E:@?D @? E96 724:=:E:6D]k^Am
kAm“x H@F=5 =@G6 7@C }2D9G:==6 E@ 36 <:?5 @7 2 A:@?66C @7 E96D6 C68F=2E:@?D[” D2:5 %2E6] “$@ H9J 5@?’E H6 36 E96 7:CDE A6@A=6 E@ D@=:5:7J E92E 2?5 @E96C 4:E:6D[ @E96C A=246D 42? A@:?E E@ }2D9G:==6 2D E96 C:89E H2J E@ 5@ :E]”k^Am
kAm#6D:56?ED 6IAC6DD65 7FCE96C 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 :>A24E @7 H2E6C FD286 7C@> 52E2 46?E6CD[ H:E9 D@>6 4:E:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E6??6DD66=@@<@FE]4@>^a_ae^_b^`g^2\32EE=6\@G6C\52E2\46?E6CD\962ED\FA\2=@?8\E96\>:DD:DD:AA:\E6??6DD66\DE2E6\=:?6^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmkDEC@?8mH2E6C 2?5 2:C A@==FE:@? :? |6>A9:Dk^DEC@?8mk^2m 42FD65 3J 2 >2DD:G6 52E2 46?E6C @H?65 3J t=@? |FD<VD 4@>A2?J Ipx] ~E96CD D2:5 E96J E9:?< E96 5:DE2?46 C6BF:C6>6?ED AC@A@D65 :? E96 K@?:?8 @C5:?2?46 5@ ?@E 8@ 72C 6?@F89 2?5 AFD965 7@C 6:E96C >@C6 DEC:?86?E C68F=2E:@?D @C 2 7F== 32? @? E96 52E2 46?E6CD :? s2G:5D@? r@F?EJ]k^Am
kAm}2D9G:==6 2EE@C?6J s@F8 $=@2? :D C6AC6D6?E:?8 pE=2?E2\32D65 E649 4@>A2?J sr q=@I[ H9:49 :D AC@A@D:?8 E96 K@@\2C62 52E2 46?E6C @? E96 4:EJVD D@FE9 D:56] w6 >2:?E2:?65 E92E E96 724:=:EJ H@F=5 C6FD6 6?G:C@?>6?E2==J 677:4:6?E H2E6C DJDE6>D 2?5 :?4@CA@C2E6 ?@:D6 >:E:82E:@? >62DFC6D]k^Am
kAm“sr q=@I DFAA@CED C62D@?23=6 C68F=2E:@?D 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD[” $=@2? D2:5] “(6 36=:6G6 E92E |6EC@ D9@F=5 6DE23=:D9 @3;64E:G6 DE2?52C5D 255C6DD:?8 E96D6 :DDF6D DF49 2D H2E6C FD286[ ?@:D6 2?5 =:89E]”k^Am
kAm|2E6@ '2DBF6K[ 2 u:D< 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E[ H2?E65 E96 4C@H5 E@ F?56CDE2?5 E92E E96 AC@A@D2= 2E u:D< :D ?@E 2? px 52E2 46?E6C 3FE C2E96C 2 C6D62C49 724:=:EJ H:E9 DFA6C4@>AFE:?8 42A23:=:E:6D 7@C DEF56?ED 2?5 724F=EJ[ H9:49 H@F=5 92G6 =6DD @7 2? :>A24E @? E96 6?G:C@?>6?E] $E:==[ '2DBF6K @AA@D65 E96 724:=:EJ 2?5 6IAC6DD65 DFAA@CE 7@C 96:89E6?65 C68F=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm“tG6? E9@F89 E96J 5@ 92G6 =6DD :>A24E[ :E H@F=5 DE:== 92G6 2? 64@?@>:4 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :>A24E @? E96 DEF56?ED 2?5 E96 ?6:893@C9@@5 E92E :D 2C@F?5 u:D< &?:G6CD:EJ] p?5 x E9:?< E@ 2==@H DF49 2 724:=:EJ E@ 36 4@?DECF4E65 E96C6 H@F=5 36 2 5:DD6CG:46 E@ E92E 4@>>F?:EJ]”k^Am
kAmy2C65 w2CA6C[ 2 u:D< 2=F>?FD[ 2=D@ DA@<6 282:?DE E96 AC@A@D2=]k^Am
kAm“x DFAA@CE :?G6DE>6?ED :? DEF56?ED[ 24256>:4 AC@8C2>D 2?5 E96 =@?8\E6C> 7FEFC6 @7 E96 :?DE:EFE:@?[” w2CA6C D2:5] “u:D< :D @?6 @7 }2D9G:==6’D 8C62E6DE 65F42E:@?2= EC62DFC6D] w@H6G6C[ DFAA@CE:?8 u:D<’D 7FEFC6 5@6D ?@E >62? :8?@C:?8 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :>A24ED E92E 42? 244@>A2?J 2 =2C86\D42=6 52E2 46?E6C 56G6=@A>6?E]”k^Am
kAm}@E 2== u:D< 2=F>?: 766= E96 D2>6 H2J]k^Am
kAm%:>@E9J wF896D[ AC6D:56?E @7 }2D9G:==6’D }ppr! 492AE6C 2?5 492:C @7 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E 7@C E96 u:D< &?:G6CD:EJ p=F>?: pDD@4:2E:@?[ 2C8F65 E92E E96 46?E6C H:== 24E 2D 2 H2J E@ 7@C E96 9:DE@C:42==J q=24< F?:G6CD:EJ’D DEF56?ED E@ 86E 29625 2D px 364@>6D >@C6 AC6G2=6?E]k^Am
kAm“%@@ >2?J 9:DE@C:42==J F?56CD6CG65 4@>>F?:E:6D 4@?E:?F6 E@ 7246 2 8C@H:?8 5:8:E2= 5:G:56[” D2:5 wF896D] “p?5 u:D< &?:G6CD:EJ :D H@C<:?8 E@ 6?DFC6 E92E :ED DEF56?ED 2?5 ?6:893@CD 2C6 ?@E =67E 369:?5] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ u:D< :D 4@>>:EE65 E@ 244@F?E23:=:EJ[ EC2?DA2C6?4J 2?5 5@:?8 ?@ 92C>] %96 F?:G6CD:EJ 7F==J DFAA@CED |6EC@’D 677@CED E@ 6DE23=:D9 2AAC@AC:2E6 D2768F2C5D 2?5 @G6CD:89E 7@C AC@;64ED @7 E9:D D42=6]”k^Am
kAmwF896D D2:5 u:D< :D H@C<:?8 E@ 255C6DD 4@?46C?D @7 E96 }@CE9 }2D9G:==6 ?6:893@C9@@5D =@42E65 ?62C u:D<’D 42>AFD]k^Am
kAm~?46 E96 AF3=:4 7:?:D965 AC@G:5:?8 7665324<[ E96 4@>>:DD:@? 3682? :ED 5:D4FDD:@? @7 w@CE@?’D K@?:?8 3:==] p== >6>36CD 2AA62C65 E@ 28C66 E92E C68F=2E:@?D ?665 E@ 36 AFE :? A=246[ H:E9 D@>6 BF6DE:@?:?8 E96 5:DE2?46 C6BF:C6>6?ED 2?5 @E96CD ?@E:?8 A@E6?E:2= 7@C AC66>AE:@? 3J E96 DE2E6 :7 E96 >62DFC6D 2C6 ?@E =682==J D@F?5]k^Am
kAmr@>>:DD:@? >6>36C {629 sF?5@?[ H9@ D6CG6D 2D |2J@C uC655:6 ~’r@??6==’D 2AA@:?E66[ C625 2 DE2E6>6?E D96 D2:5 H2D 8:G6? E@ 96C 3J E96 >2J@C — H9:49 ?@E23=J 5:5 ?@E 8:G6 6IA=:4:E DFAA@CE 7@C E96 4FCC6?E=J\AC@A@D65 52E2 46?E6C C68F=2E:@?D] xE 5:5[ 9@H6G6C[ 6IAC6DD DFAA@CE 7@C 2 52E2 46?E6C >@C2E@C:F>[ H9:49 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?2D9G:==6A@DE]4@>^3FD:?6DD^>6EC@\4@F?4:=\25G2?46D\52E2\46?E6C\>@C2E@C:F>\7FCE96C\2AAC@G2=D\?66565^2CE:4=60_4b6heff\_a_d\cef5\h`7f\73aghee`2_e`]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmE96 4@F?4:= 25G2?465 62C=:6C E9:D H66<k^2m]k^Am
kAm“|2J@C ~’r@??6== DFAA@CED 2 >@C2E@C:F> @? =2C86\D42=6 52E2 46?E6CD H9:=6 8F2C5C2:=D 2C6 6DE23=:D965[” sF?5@? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“w6 2=D@ 2D<65 >6 E@ D92C6 E92E 96 :D H@C<:?8 4=@D6=J H:E9 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 {2H 2?5 |6EC@ 56A2CE>6?ED E@ 6?DFC6 E92E =2C86\D42=6 52E2 46?E6CD 5@?’E 92C> @FC =@42= 4@>>F?:E:6D] %96 >2J@C’D @77:46 :D =@@<:?8 2E H92E @AE:@?D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 F?56C E96 =2H 7@C E96 >2J@C 2?5 E96 |6EC@ 8@G6C?>6?E E@ :>A=6>6?E E@ AC@E64E @FC 2:C[ H2E6C 2?5 C2E6 A2J6CD 2?5 <66A @FC C6D:56?ED 2?5 @FC ?6:893@C9@@5D 7C@> 36:?8 ?682E:G6=J :>A24E65 3J E96D6 724:=:E:6D]”k^Am
