Lovejoy data center proposal withdrawn after community pushback
A large data center proposal in Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia, was withdrawn following significant community opposition. The Lovejoy City Council plans to update zoning to prevent future data center development, and Clayton County currently has an enacted moratorium on data center applications.
The Atlanta News First report details the withdrawal of a significant data center proposal on Panhandle Road in Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia, following intense community pushback. Lovejoy Mayor Markieff Llewellyn credited residents' vocal opposition for stopping the 3.5 million square foot project, which would have included 15 buildings and was controversially located between two schools and several neighborhoods.
In response to the community's success, the Lovejoy City Council announced that the developer would pivot to a residential plan instead. Mayor Llewellyn stated that the city council would immediately begin updating zoning regulations to prevent future data center developments in Lovejoy, with the process expected to come before council next month.
The report also highlighted broader regional opposition, noting that Clayton County already has a moratorium on data center applications through the end of the year. Additionally, residents in Statesboro, Bulloch County, Georgia, protested a newly approved zoning amendment by the Statesboro Planning Commission for a 26.5-acre two-story data center, indicating widespread community concern beyond metro Atlanta. William McDaniel, who organized the Statesboro protest, expressed surprise at the large turnout, emphasizing the community's desire to keep data centers out of their neighborhoods.