Builder for Bartow County data center withdraws proposal

A builder for a proposed data center in Bartow County, Georgia, withdrew its proposal late Monday afternoon. This decision followed fierce opposition from local residents and a negative vote from the county's seven-member planning commission.

The project was contentious, with opponents citing concerns over an endangered species, the site's role in providing drinking water, and the loss of pristine farmland west of Cartersville. Commissioner Steve Taylor, who holds the sole governmental authority in Bartow County, was scheduled to make the final decision on the data center's approval. Taylor, who believes the sole commissioner form of government is highly efficient, noted that many opponents might not fully understand data centers.

Despite his views, Taylor stated he takes the planning commission's recommendations seriously. The planning commission had voted against the data center earlier in the month, leading to the developer's withdrawal of the project before Taylor could issue a final ruling. Bartow is one of only seven counties in Georgia that operates with a single county commissioner, a governance model more common in more rural, less populated areas.