Commission District 3 candidates talk economic development

Candidates for the DeKalb County Commission District 3 seat, including incumbent Nicole Massiah and challengers Jakequeline Walls, Keyanna Jones Moore, and Tommy Travis, recently participated in a forum hosted by Decaturish. The discussion focused on data centers and economic development, which have become contentious issues in the county. A central point of discussion was a proposal for a data center campus on a 95-acre site at 4358 and 4280 Loveless Place in Ellenwood. This facility, planned for small lot residential and mixed-use low-density zoning districts, would include three two-story buildings and an outdoor electric substation. The application for a special land-use permit was deferred until July. Residents in Ellenwood, located on the DeKalb and Clayton county line, are actively opposing the development due to concerns about lighting, energy bills, water usage, and potential negative impacts on property values. Candidates presented varying stances on data center development and regulation. Walls, an Ellenwood resident, expressed strong opposition to large data center campuses in residential areas. Travis emphasized the need for strict and severe data center regulations, suggesting they could be lightened later if appropriate. Massiah, who chairs the Planning, Economic Development and Community Services Committee, highlighted efforts to enact strong regulations to protect residents and is considering an environmental and health impact study, as well as a fund to allocate 50% of data center tax revenue to resident equity and environmental restoration. Jones Moore advocated for a complete ban on data centers, but failing that, proposed requirements such as special land-use permits in all scenarios and a minimum distance of 1 mile from homes, parks, and trails.