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Community Expresses Growing Concerns Over Approval of New Data Centers by Col. Co. Board of Commissioners

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COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. – Columbia County is currently navigating a wave of community discontent following the approval of two out of three proposed data center developments by local commissioners. The approved projects, named White Oak and Pumpkin Center, have sparked significant concern among residents, particularly regarding environmental repercussions, property value depreciation, and the overall impact on their quality of life. Meanwhile, the Byrd Farm proposal was not given the green light.

Residents living in proximity to the newly sanctioned sites are vocal about their apprehensions. Alexandria Roney, a neighbor near the Pumpkin Center site, has expressed a deep emotional impact on her family due to the decision.

“Ever since we found out that this data center was going in, I’ve honestly been feeling a lot of grief,” Roney shared, capturing the anxiety that many in the community are experiencing.

For Roney and her family, who had envisioned their current residence as their forever home, the approval of the data center developments casts doubt on their future in the neighborhood, reflecting a broader community sentiment of uncertainty and worry.

Roney and her family believed they had found their forever home but now worry about their future in the neighborhood.

“We were supposed to raise our family and have friends in this neighborhood, and now we don’t have that option because we’re risking our health staying here,” she said.

Commissioner Alison Couch, the lone vote against the Pumpkin Center project, voiced concerns about preserving the character of nearby neighborhoods, including Greenpoint. Couch says she pushed for added protections if the project moved forward, including expanded buffers, landscaping requirements, and reduced noise levels.

Community members like Kaye Jones say the potential impacts could stretch beyond Columbia County.

“It’s not just going to affect us. It’s going to affect a lot of people, not just in our county,” said Jones. 

Jones says she has attended multiple public meetings to ensure community concerns are heard.

Greenpoint resident Emily Glisson says the project hits especially close to home. She says she lives about 2,800 feet from the Pumpkin Center property. 

Glisson says her family chose the neighborhood based on long-term development plans centered around nearby schools and community amenities.

“We ultimately decided on Greenpoint due to the proximity of the schools and what was to be the future development of Greenpoint North,” she said.

She also raised concerns about potential health and noise impacts, particularly for veterans, military families, and children living nearby.

Columbia County Chairman Doug Duncan says he has been in talks with Georgia state lawmakers about possible homestead tax relief tied to data center developments.

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