SPLC Lanett town hall focuses on state policy, local growth
A Southern Poverty Law Center town hall in Lanett addressed state policy and local concerns, including land use, zoning authority and the possibility of data centers or heavy industry near residential neighborhoods. Residents were encouraged to organize with county commissioners and seek legislative action because unincorporated areas may lack authority to regulate hyperscale development.
Residents gathered in Lanett for a Southern Poverty Law Center town hall focused primarily on Alabama policy, but discussion also turned to local land use and industrial zoning in Chambers County. Attendees expressed concern about clear-cutting and large land purchases near neighborhoods, fearing they could precede data center or heavy-industrial development.
SPLC Policy Director Jerome Dees said unincorporated counties generally have less zoning authority than municipalities and may need the Alabama Legislature to grant additional powers. He urged residents to engage early with county commissioners and statewide county organizations before the Legislature’s next session. The meeting also covered voting rights, parole reform, social programs and local residential lot-size rules.