Commission recommends rezoning for White Oak Technology Park (data center) after wide-ranging technical discussion

The Columbia County Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a rezoning request to reclassify multiple parcels to S-1 (special) for the proposed White Oak Technology Park, a large technology/data-center development presented by the Development Authority and the landowner.

Staff framed the project as a very large development spanning multiple parcels along I-20 and Innovation Parkway. The presentation described the project as consisting of multiple building "pods" — roughly two to six buildings per pod — with individual buildings approximately 250,000 square feet each, substations adjacent to buildings, and emergency access points from Forest Calloway and White Oak Road restricted to emergency use. Staff said the development crosses character areas on the future land-use map and noted a proposed 500-foot residential building setback along parts of the perimeter.

Chaney Eldridge, Executive Director of the Development Authority of Columbia County, told the commission the authority had targeted data centers as a priority industry and recommended the zoning change to promote economic development and investment. Eldridge said, on taking the job, she was charged to "find high quality employment opportunities for the County and investment heavy projects" and that, after visits to data centers and community outreach, the authority identified data centers as a suitable use for the property.

Staff discussed infrastructure concerns at scale: in an absolute "worst case scenario" full build-out could use up to about 6,000,000 gallons of water per day, staff said, but also described phasing and alternative cooling approaches. Engineer Drew Frederick said there are cooling alternatives and that typically about "70% of the water gets evaporated as part of the evaporative cooling system" and "about 30% of it would go ... to a cistern or to a pond" for reuse. Frederick also said operational employment would be modest compared with construction: roughly "about 50 people per building." Traffic analysis was described as in progress but staff said existing nearby uses (an Amazon facility referenced by staff) generate more traffic than the proposed technology park's operations would at full build-out.

Public questions focused on water sources (the county currently pulls from the river for the portion discussed), noise from backup generators and chillers, and nighttime lighting. Staff and applicants acknowledged those concerns and said they expected to address many of them in later site-plan detail and through covenants; staff noted the Development Authority owns the property, which could allow additional covenants or conditions.

After discussion the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of rezoning file RZ25-52 for the White Oak Technology Park. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for final action.