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Commissioners answer data center questions; residents press for transparency and review
Summary
After residents raised water, stormwater, taxation and transparency concerns about a proposed large data center in Appling, commissioners outlined answers on capacity limits, regulatory compliance, taxation and a new zoning classification for data centers.
Dozens of residents at the Sept. 5 Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting voiced concerns about water usage, stormwater, power supply and the process surrounding a proposed large data center in the Appling area. Commissioners responded with a series of on-the-record answers and said staff will draft a new, standalone zoning category for data centers.
Commission leadership addressed technical questions raised by residents. The commission said Columbia County’s existing water system “does not have that capacity” to meet an estimated peak demand figure mentioned in public comment, and that developers would be responsible for infrastructure upgrades. The transcript records a county official saying an estimated cost for building the needed water system would be roughly $80,000,000 and that the developer—not the county—would pay those costs. The county also said no ground production wells would be permitted by the…
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