Neighbors may have to deal two data centers within half a mile

Residents in Rockdale County, Georgia, are facing the prospect of a second data center being built near an existing one on Farmer Road in Conyers, sparking strong emotional reactions and community opposition. Dr. Linda Aikens-Young, a longtime resident, expressed heartbreak over the changing landscape of her childhood home, which is already hosting one data center under construction. Grind Capital Group has proposed a new data center on Irwin Bridge Road, approximately half a mile from the current site. The company released a statement emphasizing its commitment to the development, highlighting a multi-billion-dollar investment, thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent positions, and a potential increase in the local tax base by over 50 percent. However, neighbor Corliss Turner believes the area is unsuitable due to proximity to homes. Rockdale County Chair and CEO Janice Van Ness confirmed that the proposed project has not advanced to planning commission review or public hearings because of an existing county-wide moratorium on data centers. The county is currently undergoing a rewrite of its unified development ordinance, with a particular focus on data centers to address concerns about high-level water usage and to prioritize projects that clearly benefit the community. A community meeting regarding these developments is scheduled for May 12.