‘People come first, not data centers’: Athens Mayor and Commission sends data center ordinance back to planning commission

The Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission, during its regular session on Tuesday, April 7, voted to return a proposed data center ordinance to the ACC planning commission for additional review. The ordinance, comprising text amendments intended to regulate data centers within Athens, is expected to be accepted eventually, but the commission has stipulated seven extra criteria be met before a final vote. Key changes proposed by the commission include requirements for annual reports on water and energy consumption, limitations on data center size and clustering, agreements to mitigate impacts on nearby residents, and an extension of property line setbacks for facilities near residential areas from 400 to 500 feet. The discussion around data centers drew considerable public comment, with many residents expressing concerns over increased water and power consumption, other environmental consequences, and the potential "exploitation of Black, brown, low income and working class communities." Aether Sachdeva, an Athens resident, questioned the trade-off between a small number of outsourced jobs and the community's health. The article also noted, referencing C&C Technology Group, that data centers typically create few long-term jobs. Some community members advocated for a community oversight board to enhance resident involvement in data center implementation decisions. In related news, the commission approved updates to its 2045 Future Land Use (FLU) map, a policy guide for future land use. District 2 Commissioner Melissa Link highlighted that some areas in the Boulevard neighborhood, previously zoned commercial, would shift to neighborhood residential classification to encourage redevelopment into affordable, family-friendly housing. District 8 Commissioner Carol Myers clarified that FLU classifications are visionary guidelines, distinct from actual zoning. Additionally, the Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, aiming to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2037, was approved.