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Data centers

What the county commission and the city council have decided about where data centers may be built.

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Where this stands

The record holds 7 decisions on this, from November 2025 to September 2026, at the Knox County Board of Commissioners and the City of Knoxville City Council. [1] [7]

The most recent was on September 21, 2026: Resolution approving and authorizing a moratorium on data centers in Knox County. Planning Commission Recommendation: Approve a moratorium on data centers in Kn... — adopted 10-0-1-0. [7]

One of them was a deferral to a later meeting. [4]

Who voted how — Knox County Board of Commissioners

Member Nov 17, 2025 [1] Dec 15, 2025 [2] Jan 29, 2026 [3] May 18, 2026 [5]
Adam Thompson Aye Aye Aye Aye
Andy Fox Aye Aye Aye Aye
Angela Russell Aye Aye Aye Aye
Courtney Durrett Aye Aye Aye Recused
Damon Rawls Aye Aye Aye Aye
Gina Oster Aye Aye Aye Aye
Kim Frazier Aye Aye Aye Absent
Larsen Jay Aye Aye Aye Aye
Rhonda Lee Aye Aye Aye Aye
Shane Jackson Aye Aye Aye Aye
Terry Hill Aye Aye Aye Aye

Who voted how — City of Knoxville City Council

Member Jul 7, 2026 [6]
Amelia Parker Absent
Charles Thomas Aye
Debbie Helsley Aye
Denzel Grant Aye
Doug Lloyd Aye
Karyn Adams Absent
Lynne Fugate Aye
Matthew DeBardelaben Aye
Nathan Honeycutt Aye

Also decided outside the bodies we cover

  • Knoxville-Knox County Planning Commission — reviews zoning changes before the commission and council vote
  • TVA and KUB — set electric rates and power-supply terms

Every step on the record (7 related decisions, oldest first)

  1. [1] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    November 17, 2025

    Defer specific items to the December 2025 meeting

    Unanimous Adopted 11-0-0-0
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for November 17, 2025.

  2. [2] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    December 15, 2025

    Defer Ordinance O-25-12-103 to January 2026 meeting

    Unanimous Adopted 11-0-0-0
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for December 15, 2025.

  3. [3] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    January 29, 2026

    Amend agenda: Withdraw Ordinance O-26-1-101 (Data Centers)

    Unanimous Adopted 11-0-0-0
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for January 29, 2026.

  4. [4] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    April 27, 2026

    O-26-4-104

    Create Knox County Code re: Data Centers

    Deferred Deferred no recorded vote
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for April 27, 2026.

  5. [5] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    May 18, 2026

    R-26-5-904

    Request Planning Commission to amend zoning for data centers

    Adopted 9-0-1-1
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for May 18, 2026.

  6. [6] · City of Knoxville City Council

    July 7, 2026

    O-57-2026

    Emergency ordinance enacting moratorium on large data centers

    Unanimous Adopted 7-0-0-2
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: official minutes (PDF) for July 7, 2026.

  7. [7] · Knox County Board of Commissioners

    September 21, 2026

    RZ-26-9-101

    Resolution approving and authorizing a moratorium on data centers in Knox County. Planning Commission Recommendation: Approve a moratorium on data centers in Kn...

    Adopted 10-0-1-0
    Roll call & discussion →

    Source: the meeting video for September 21, 2026. Watch this vote →

A curated grouping of the record, possibly incomplete.