Core Scientific’s proposed data center at Old Tilton Road wins planning commission approval after neighbors raise noise and view concerns

The Whitfield County Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning a 173‑acre tract on Old Tilton Road to heavy manufacturing (M‑2) to allow development of a two‑building data center campus proposed by Core Scientific.

Core Scientific’s representative, Chip Scagliani, described the project as a two‑building campus with roughly 200,000 square feet per building, dual access (Enterprise Drive and Old Tilton Road), and around 200 employees across shifts when fully operational. “These are relatively high‑paying jobs,” Scagliani said, and he noted a short construction schedule with a target completion in mid‑2026 for the first building, contingent on site‑plan approvals.

Carl Campbell of the Dalton‑Whitfield Joint Development Authority told the commission the company already brings significant electricity demand and local spending: “They've got over $100,000,000 worth of computers in our community right now … Their power bill is about $5,000,000 a month.” Supporters argued the project would add tax revenue and some high‑paying jobs while fitting into an area that already contains manufacturing and industrial uses.

Neighbors raised concerns about noise, traffic, and visibility. Landowner Jimmy Mason, who owns farmland across the road from the planned site, said existing operations already produce a constant sound that reaches his property; another resident, Ryan Stinson, said cooling systems for these kinds of facilities can be “incredibly loud.” A resident with a child on the autism spectrum told commissioners she worried about additional constant noise near her home.

Core Scientific’s representative said the project uses different cooling technology than local Bitcoin‑mining operations and that the project’s rooftop chillers will exhaust upward. He offered to perform and share noise studies; the company indicated it expects to achieve 55 decibels or lower at adjacent property lines in many conditions and that generators run only for emergencies. “We will do those noise studies and make them readily available,” he told the commission.

Staff recommended approval with a condition to ensure Enterprise Drive access is completed; the staff report originally included a second condition that staff later removed after further clarification about the facility’s layout. Commissioners approved the rezoning recommendation and removed the now‑inapplicable condition B.

What’s next: the planning commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners and to city decision bodies as required for final permitting. Core Scientific still must obtain site‑plan approvals, complete Enterprise Drive access, and meet any city/county requirements for parking, stormwater and buffers.