Court hears arguments from county, developer over Simpson data center ordinance Published 6:00 am Sunday, August 9, 2026FRANKLIN — Arguments over the legality of a Simpson County ordinance setting forth regulations for data centers were heard Thursday in court. The ordinance, recently passed by Simpson County Fiscal Court to update a similar one that passed in December, would require builders of data centers and their associated infrastructure to obtain a conditional use permit if they are to build anywhere within the county. Email newsletter signupFranklin and Simpson County formerly operated a joint planning and zoning commission before it split into separate boards last year. Data centers are considered a permitted use under city zoning regulations. That statute requires such ordinances to be enforced throughout the county, including within incorporated municipalities, unless those cities already impose stricter regulations than what is found in the county ordinance.