Potential data center development preparations underway in Southeast Georgia

Communities across Southeast Georgia, particularly Kingsland and Glenn County, are actively addressing the potential for new data center developments. In Kingsland, preparations are underway for a proposed data center located just west of I-95 and north of State Road 40. The landowner, a Jacksonville resident, has requested to rezone his property to develop an industrial park capable of housing data centers. This request falls under a new data center ordinance passed by the Kingsland City Council in March. However, the Saint Mary's Riverkeeper has expressed environmental concerns regarding the proximity of the proposed data center to the Saint Mary's River watershed, advocating for public input on such projects to ensure sustainable community growth. Simultaneously, Glenn County is also grappling with data center considerations. The county commission recently finalized a rewrite of their zoning ordinance, which now permits data centers to be built but only with a special use permit requiring approval from both the planning commission and the board of commissioners. In a move to gauge public sentiment, leaders from both political parties have included questions about data centers on primary ballots, seeking to understand residents' responses to the potential economic benefits, such as property tax reductions, in exchange for data center development. These ballot results are purely informational and non-binding. Adding to the dynamic situation, Kingsland city leaders are scheduled to discuss a 90-day moratorium on data center construction at their upcoming city council meeting.