Jones County appeared to be at the center of the broadcast news cycle Friday night with reporters from four stations crowded into the front of the Charlotte Wilson Conference Room for a called county commissioners’ meeting.
The broad topic of the Jan. 16 meeting was the possibility of a data center for the county. Specifically, the called meeting was to consider an amendment to Jones County’s Comprehensive Land Use plan that would add protections and require a data center to be a permitted use on top of all the conditional use rules and regulations in the document.
It is important to note that, without the amendment, the county would have no protections in place if an application was received for a data center. It simply was not addressed in the plan. The only other option was to extend a moratorium on the applications.
The Jones County Board of Commissioners hired attorney Ken Jarrad, and the Jones Development Authority hired attorney Jeff Haymore to assist with the wording of the amendment due to their zoning expertise.
The called meeting followed a Jan. 13 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting with the amendment on its agenda. At the conclusion of the Monday night’s meeting that lasted two hours, P&Z members recommended approval of the amendment with a 2-1 vote.
County Commission Chairman Chris Weidner called Friday’s meeting to order and led the opening prayer and pledge. The meeting’s agenda had two items, with the first being the amendment resolution and the second a proposal to extend the moratorium.
Approximately 20 people spoke in opposition to the amendment, the majority were at both meetings. The supporters were few at the meetings, but it’s hard to imagine the harsh rhetoric in opposition to data centers on social media did not influence that.
Fear seemed to influence those on both sides of the topic. The personal attacks to members of both boards, administrators and county employees involved in the process was nothing short of scary.
In addition to that, several of those who spoke in opposition to data centers talked about their fear of what would happen if a data center was approved. That fear was also influenced by social media posts in addition to information found from online searches.
For the first time in memory, a Jones County Sheriff’s Office deputy was posted at the front of the meeting room during the entire Jan. 16 meeting.
Jarrad spoke first at both meetings, spelling out the framework of the amendment. He explained the protections written into the code sections that put the Board of Commissioners in charge of each step of the process with the ability to say no at each portion.
The attorney emphasized that making the data center a permitted use, in addition to being a conditional use, gives the county even more control over every step. The only place a data center would be allowed is an industrial park, and the county only has one, Griswoldville Park.
Jarrad noted one big change in the amendment is the reduction of noise allowed. The previous regulation was 65 decibels daytime and 55 at night. Those perimeters were lowered to 55 daytime and 45 at night.
Another change was the timing of the environmental study.
“These are all slanted to make more rigorous codes,” he said.
Haymore stated that the Development Authority of Jones County supports a data center in the industrial park. He talked about the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan that was updated in June of 2022.
The attorney pointed out that the number one goal of the plan was economic development.
The Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Gray, James Collins, spoke in favor of a data center.
“We support what you are doing and hope to see action taken,” he said.
The chairman of the JDA, Erik Varnadoe, reported about a Financial Impact Study the authority recently received. The study was completed by the Economic Impact Group located in Flowery Branch.
The results of the fiscal impact analysis show that, over the next 20 years, a data center would increase the county’s net revenue by $310 million and the Board of Education’s net revenue by $338 million.
The additional impact for the first five years would be $30 million, which would equal the value of the county’s current general fund budget.
Varnadoe returned later to talk about the numerous studies that had already been conducted at Griswoldville Park. He noted the need for the studies had been brought up by speakers opposed to a data center.
“Part of the due diligence already done at the industrial park includes Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Cultural Resource Report Phase I, Archeological Evaluation Phase II, Threatened and Endangered Species review, Griswoldville geo-technical report, Final Jurisdictional Delineation, and Waters of the United States Delineation and Air Quality Report,” he said.
One citizen stood up to thank the commissioners for their hard work to bring industry to the county.
“We need tax dollars to relieve the burden on property owners,” he said. “I see a data center as a great opportunity.”
He went on the say he trusts the board members to take care of the county.
“Industry goes in the industrial park.”
Commissioner Daylon Martin made an interesting comment near the end of the meeting concerning the Comprehensive Land Use Plan that would be amended. He pointed out that, when the plan is updated, the meetings are advertised and open for input of the public, but they are typically poorly attended.
His suggestion is for concerned citizens to get involved in the creation of the plan.
Citizens speak
All Jones County Commissioners were present and listened to each person who had a comment about the proposed amendment. Each side was given an initial 10 minutes, and then each speaker had one minute to make their points.
For the most part, the speakers were civil and followed the rules. The only disparaging and rude comments came from members of the audience who did not choose to follow the rules to speak.
The process of listening to all the comments took more than 90 minutes, but everyone who wanted to speak was given the opportunity.
No new information was presented by those opposing the amendment.
Macon attorney Bob Lovett was among the speakers. He said he represented the opponents and alleged there were defects in the process.
Concerns presented by speakers included noise, power, water, possible increase in utility bills, setbacks, buffers, cooling towers, and health impacts. One of the speakers admitted that she was just scared.
Several wanted the commissioners to take more time before making a decision. The board members started researching the topic in September and held work sessions inviting the public, the P&Z board and Jones County Development Authority for input, beginning Oct. 30. The third work session was Dec. 8.
Conclusion
After again listening to all the comments and concerns, the amendment was tweaked to include recommended changes. Jarrad gave board members an overview of the process.
“When there is an applicant, they have to convince you a data center will be safe. If you are not convinced, you will simply deny it, and that’s the end of it,” the attorney said.
Jarrad said the commissioners can always require additional studies.
“If you don’t agree, you say no,” he said.
At the end of the discussion, Martin made the motion to approve the amendment, and the motion passed unanimously.
At that time, Weidner reopened the floor for citizens comments. Once again, commissioners listened to everyone who wished to speak.
The meeting is available to view in its entirety from the county website, jonescountyga. org.
