Prichard data center gets site plan approval as developer addresses community concerns - NBC 15
The Prichard Planning Commission approved the site plan for Edged's proposed $93 million data center on Telegraph Road. The approval followed community concerns about noise, water use, pollution and the project's size, while the developer said it had received a building permit before the city enacted a six-month data center moratorium.
The Prichard Planning Commission approved the site plan for Edged's proposed $93 million data center on Telegraph Road, clearing a key step toward development. Real estate attorney Doug Anderson, who represents the developers, said the project received a building permit on July 30, before the Prichard City Council approved a six-month moratorium on data centers on Aug. 4.
The project had not initially undergone planning commission site-plan review, prompting the developers to voluntarily return for approval after the city identified the procedural issue. Residents had raised concerns at public hearings and city council meetings about the facility's size, noise, water consumption and potential community impacts. Anderson said the roughly eight-acre site would include a stormwater retention pond, generators screened by a 16-foot wall, a sound analysis and a separate water supply rather than using the Prichard water system.