DeKalb County Residents Urge Officials to Defend Against Shadowbox Studios Lawsuit Over Data Center Moratorium
Residents of DeKalb County are urging county officials to vigorously defend against a lawsuit filed by Shadowbox Studios, which seeks to overturn an enacted moratorium on data center developments and build a large hyperscale data center campus. The community emphasizes the need for an independent health and environmental impact assessment before any further data center projects are approved. This appeal follows the county's unanimous denial of a data center special land-use permit in Ellenwood.
DeKalb County residents are actively calling on the county's administration and Board of Commissioners to vigorously defend against a lawsuit initiated by Shadowbox Studios. The lawsuit aims to lift an existing moratorium on data center developments in DeKalb and secure approval for a 5 million-square-foot hyperscale data center campus on 155 acres at 3600 International Drive in southwest DeKalb County. Residents are adamant that a settlement agreement is unacceptable, having consistently participated in public hearings and community meetings for over a year to express their opposition.
The community's stance is that "Big Tech" development should not compromise neighborhoods, the environment, quality of life, or economic well-being. This follows a unanimous decision by Commissioner LaDena Bolton and the board on June 23 to deny a proposed data center text amendment, as well as the denial of a special land-use permit for a data center in Ellenwood. Residents are asking the county to maintain its commitment to prioritizing people over profit by upholding the moratorium until comprehensive, fully funded, independent health and environmental impact assessments are completed and made public.
They have specifically called upon the CEO and Board of Commissioners to defend against the Shadowbox lawsuit, pass pending legislation for an independent study, develop a strong and enforceable data center text amendment based on study results and community input, and uphold the moratorium until this work is finished. Concerns extend beyond the immediate project, highlighting potential widespread impacts on south DeKalb and other predominantly Black communities regarding industrial development and environmental burdens.