Paulding County, GA Data Centers & Crypto Mining: Data Center Noise Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime limit (8am-8pm)
- 65 dBA, 15-min average
- Nighttime limit (8pm-8am)
- 55 dBA average
- Measurement point
- Adjacent property boundary
- Generator testing
- 2 hrs/day, Mon-Fri 11am-5pm
- Noncompliance penalty
- Up to $1,000 per day
- Enforcement
- Community Development Director
Summary
Data centers in Paulding County's Technology Park Overlay District cannot exceed a 65 dBA average during the day or 55 dBA at night, measured at the adjacent property line. Section 220-40.12 also caps generator testing at two hours a day and backs the limits with a $1,000-per-day civil penalty for uncured violations.
220-40.12 Technology Park Overlay District Sound Standards. In order to ensure that permitted uses in the Technology Park Overlay District do not contribute to noise pollution within the county, all permitted uses shall be subject to the following standards: 1.Data center operations shall not produce continuous sound over a 15-minute period that exceeds an average of 65 dBA or higher during the hours of 8 AM to 8 PM, measured at any adjacent property boundary between the data center site and adjoining properties. Nor shall data center operations produce sound that exceeds an average of 55 dBA from 8 PM to 8 AM, measured at any adjacent property boundary between the site and adjoining properties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the existing sound levels in the area of the development exceed the decibel levels above prior to the development of data center structures, they shall be designed so that the existing sound levels are not increased at the external boundaries of the property. Sound levels shall be determined by a third-party acoustic engineer. Violations of these sound levels may be prosecuted in the same manner as other zoning ordinance violations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
, both measured at the property boundary between the site and adjoining land; a third-party acoustic engineer determines compliance. Where ambient sound already exceeded those levels before a data center was built, the new structures must be designed so they do not push existing sound levels any higher at the property line. Every exterior mechanical unit, whether roof-mounted, ground-level or elsewhere, must sit inside an acoustic barrier, such as a solid or louvered soundproofed wall, sufficient to meet the dBA limits, and that barrier has to appear on the approved construction plans and stay in place for the life of the facility.
, and outside of testing, generators may run only for emergency backup power. After a certificate of occupancy issues, the county can order a sound study, or require the operator to supply one, to confirm ongoing compliance; a confirmed violation triggers a notice of violation and, if the operator's proposed fix is not implemented on the approved timeline, a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each day the violation continues, with the operator bearing the cost of every required sound test.
Violations & Fines
A data center that exceeds 65 dBA by day or 55 dBA by night at its property boundary, skips the required acoustic barrier around mechanical equipment, or runs generator tests beyond the two-hour Monday-through-Friday window is in violation of Section 220-40.12. The Community Development Director, after consulting an acoustic engineer, can order corrective steps on a set timeline, and failing to complete them brings a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day until the site is back in compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Paulding County's noise limits for data centers?
Can a data center run backup generators at night?
What happens if a data center is too loud?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Paulding County
Compare Paulding County to another location·View the Georgia data centers & crypto mining overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.