Effingham County residents sue over zoning change tied to $20 billion OpenAI data center
Effingham County residents have filed a lawsuit against the county, challenging a recently approved zoning change that would allow data centers on industrial property. The lawsuit aims to invalidate the ordinance, which is tied to OpenAI's planned $20 billion 'Project Camellia' data center, citing a lack of required public hearings.
Three residents of Effingham County, Georgia, Dr. Michelle Finch-Mincey, Lehman Mincey Jr., and Raymond Carver, have filed a lawsuit in Effingham County Superior Court against Effingham County. The plaintiffs are challenging Ordinance 2026-352, which was approved by county commissioners on August 4 and changed the county's permitted land uses to allow data centers on industrial-zoned properties.
The lawsuit alleges that the county violated Georgia law and its own zoning rules by approving the change without holding the two required public hearings—one before the county planning board and another before county commissioners. The residents are asking a judge to declare the zoning change invalid, prevent the county from using it until the proper public process is completed, and are also seeking attorney fees for alleged violations of Georgia's Open Meetings Act.
The challenged zoning change is directly linked to OpenAI's 'Project Camellia,' a planned $20 billion data center development on approximately 1,440 acres at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub. OpenAI intends to invest at least $20 billion, create jobs, and provide $80 million in community benefits. The project will be supplied with up to 3,200 megawatts of power by Georgia Power through an agreement that recently cleared state regulatory review. The lawsuit does not directly target OpenAI or Georgia Power.
Effingham County states that while the project has met initial requirements, it still needs to undergo further reviews, permitting, and inspections related to water, sewer, stormwater, wetlands, utilities, building codes, and fire safety. OpenAI has committed to using a closed-loop water system and annual audits of its project commitments, with Georgia Power noting that OpenAI will cover the full cost of necessary infrastructure.