Athens City Council tables data center zoning decisions after dozens of residents show up to protest

The Athens City Council's Monday night meeting saw significant public turnout, with dozens of residents protesting a proposed data center. The council ultimately voted to table potential zoning changes for the project following widespread concerns from the community. The primary concerns raised by residents centered on water scarcity, with multiple speakers highlighting the potential strain on the city's water supply. One resident emphasized, "We won't be able to raise cattle if we don't have water... we are not going to be able to raise families if we don't have water." Other issues included noise and light pollution, with one individual sharing experiences of similar damage from a data center in Tennessee. The proposed development by Data Factory has leased land in the city and plans include Bitcoin mining, with 10MW of energy expected to be online this year. Mayor Aaron Smith acknowledged the need for the city to re-examine its zoning laws to properly classify and regulate data centers, stating, "We don't know exactly what they are bringing, we want them to bring it to us and them to pay for it." The zoning regulations will now return to the Planning and Zoning department for further review.