Statesboro Planning Commission recommends rezoning for Burkhalter Road data center
The Statesboro Planning Commission has recommended approval of a rezoning request for a proposed data center on Burkhalter Road. The decision now moves to the Statesboro City Council for consideration during its August 18 meeting. Residents raised concerns about noise, environmental impacts, and traffic.
The Statesboro Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, for a rezoning request to allow a data center project to proceed on nearly 27 acres along Burkhalter Road. The proposed change would shift the property's zoning from R-4, High Density Residential, to O, Office and Business Office District. The recommendation now goes to the Statesboro City Council, which is slated to vote on the rezoning on August 18.
Following the rezoning, the developer, 4am Development LLC, will still need to obtain a special use permit for the data center's operation, a process that includes additional applications, public hearings, and votes. The current plan outlines a 230,000-square-foot, two-story data center, including a 32,000-square-foot electrical substation that would require up to 99 megawatts from Georgia Power. The developer projects significantly less traffic and substantially more property tax revenue for the city compared to a previously approved 285-unit residential development on the site.
Residents voiced strong opposition during the public hearing, expressing concerns about continuous noise from the facility, potential impacts on wetlands, stormwater management, generator emissions, and overall quality of life. Speakers like Lindsay Williams and Lori Braselton urged the city to conduct a full environmental and community impact assessment before any land-use change. Additionally, they highlighted existing traffic problems on local roads, water usage concerns despite the developer's low estimates, and the limited job creation typical of data centers. City Manager Charles Penny noted an intergovernmental agreement between Statesboro and Bulloch County for traffic improvements around Burkhalter and Cawana roads.
The city's planning staff recommended conditional approval, requiring the developer to dedicate 10 feet of property along Burkhalter Road for future traffic improvements. Staff concluded the rezoning was consistent with the comprehensive plan and that a data center would generate less traffic than the prior residential proposal, though it could alter future development patterns in the largely residential area. Wetlands on the property are still under review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.