SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — In a series of Nov. 18 votes, most with Mayor David Keener as the tiebreaker, the Social Circle City Council has set the stage for a proposed massive new data center to be built on nearly 1,000 acres identified by the state as an industrial development “megasite.”
One of those votes, however, remains at least somewhat unresolved, as an annexation request approved in a 3-1 council vote is in arbitration with the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Councilmembers Tyson Jackson, Nathan Boyd and Steve Shelton voted in favor of the annexation, with Councilmember Traysa Price casting the lone dissenting vote.
The data center, being pursued by GA Strouds Creek Land LLC — with assistance from Atlanta law firm Dillard Sellers, which specializes in zoning and land use — is slated to comprise 12 large single-story buildings, with a couple of accessory structures, all together encompassing 2.5 million square feet. The buildings will cover 56 acres, less than 6% of the site’s total acreage.
Documents filed with the city of Social Circle hint that a data center may not be all that is contemplated for the tract, in that they also mention a “campus-style technology park.”
The acreage, part of which is in Social Circle, is located near Georgia Highway 11 and along Lakewood Drive.
The annexation request covers nearly 700 acres in Newton County, where county commissioners have filed an objection with the DCA to set up arbitration.
The arbitration process, which has just gotten underway, according to Social Circle City Attorney Tony Powell, involves a panel comprising two city representatives, two county representatives, and an academic expert appointed from a pool maintained by the DCA.
It was not clear following the council meeting exactly how long the arbitration process might last. It also was not clear following the council’s decisions how issues surrounding the annexation process might affect plans for the data center. Brad Kaaber, a representative of the proposed project, did not take questions for the record when approached by a Walton Tribune reporter immediately after the council had made its votes.
In addition to the annexation request, Strouds Creek Land LLC came to the Social Circle City Council with requests for rezoning the acreage from its current agricultural classification to a light industrial classification. And because the city’s development ordinance does not allow data centers outright as a permitted use in light industrial areas, Strouds Creek Land LLC also sought a special-use permit to allow the facility on the tract.
Also part of the city council’s Nov. 18 deliberations was a request to amend the city’s future land use map to identify the affected acreage as an industrial character area. Newton County currently has the property earmarked for industrial development.
The Nov. 18 vote on the rezoning request was 3-2, with Keener joining Price and Shelton in voting to approve the request, as Jackson and Boyd dissented.
The special-use permit request was also a 3-2 vote, with Keener joining Price and Shelton to approve it, as Jackson and Boyd dissented.
The vote on the requested future land use plan amendment was again 3-2, also with Keener, Price and Shelton in favor and Jackson and Boyd dissenting.
There were some conditions accompanying the Nov. 18 votes, including a requirement that work must begin within 12 months after any needed approvals are in place, or the affected acreage will revert to its current agricultural zoning classification.
Other conditions imposed in connection with the Nov. 18 votes include a requirement for noise dampening measures to be put in place, an assurance that no utility-related costs will be borne by the city, and that any wells in the area impacted by the data center must be addressed by the developer.
There was some opposition to the proposed data center at the council meeting. One woman, noting the large number of data center requests being fielded by the city, suggested that “they’re getting shoved down our throats, and we’re tired of it.”
