Newton County commissioners object to three annexation requests for proposed data centers

The Newton County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 21 approved resolutions to object to three separate annexation requests from the cities of Covington and Social Circle that would rezone county parcels to light-industrial uses for large facilities, including proposed data centers.

The board voted to file objections to (1) an annexation notice for about 1,500 acres submitted by Alcovey Rise LLC to the City of Covington, (2) an annexation request for roughly 90 acres from Strategic Development Partners LLC for warehouse space off Highway 278, and (3) an annexation request to the City of Social Circle by Georgia Shroud Creek Land LLC for property on Shrout's Creek Road that the county staff said is intended for a data center. Each resolution was approved by 4 votes with 1 abstention (see “Votes” below); County Attorney staff will transmit the objections to the respective cities and to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to initiate arbitration procedures.

Why it matters: County staff and commissioners said the proposed uses differ substantially from the current county zoning and future land-use designations, and they would likely increase net infrastructure costs for roads, fire protection and water systems. Multiple residents and commissioners raised concerns about the capacity of Newton County's water system and the local impacts of large computing facilities.

Public concerns and testimony

Several residents who live near the proposed sites urged the board to block the annexations. Dennis Taylor, who said he owns property in Districts 1 and 5, told the board he was speaking on agenda items 12–14 and warned that the county’s water system could be strained: "Mister chairman, the county owns the water system for Newton County. You're the ones that can set the fees, only you, by the law of Georgia." Taylor warned that multiple large computing centers together could require an additional reservoir and questioned who would pay for it.

An Orchard Park resident and IT engineer, identified in the meeting as Mr. Rudacille, told the board that large data centers employ few people and consume “about as much power as the entire city of Covington” and raised concerns about long-term lifecycle and neighborhood impacts from blasting and construction.

Beverly Copeland, 178 Elks Club Road, told the board the county road near a proposed site is narrow and winding, used daily by school and daycare traffic, and said the proposed change from residential-agricultural zoning to industrial would risk runoff into the Alcovy River and affect endangered plants. Mary Ann Smith, a neighbor on McGurts Bridal Road, said the project would negatively affect her neighborhood and reiterated safety concerns about Elks Club Road.

Board discussion and rationale

County staff and the county attorney's office summarized the annexation notices and the bases for objection: the proposals would change parcels currently zoned agricultural or residential to city-designated M-1 or L-1 (light industrial), allow significantly different uses (warehousing or data processing), and could materially increase infrastructure costs. The county attorney’s presentation noted the statutory mechanism available under Georgia law to contract with cities on tax collection but stressed that annexation objections follow a separate statutory process and that objections must be filed by Oct. 29 to initiate arbitration.

Commissioner statements reflected distrust of large-scale data-center development in unincorporated Newton County. Commissioner Edwards said, "I will not vote for one in Newton County, in unincorporated Newton County," citing concerns about regional power and water demand. Commissioner Long, representing District 5, said she would "protect those property values" in her district and pressed for coordinated engagement with municipal officials. Commissioner Henderson explained her abstention on at least one objection vote by saying she had not received prior notice in time: "Not getting those in time, to report of the informational meeting before the vote." County staff said notices had been emailed to commissioners and that staff do have intergovernmental conversations with municipal staff.

Next steps

By approving the resolutions, the board directed the county attorney’s office to transmit written objections to the affected cities and to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to start the statutorily prescribed arbitration process. Commissioners and staff said that arbitration — not the county board — will ultimately be part of the procedural next steps for each annexation.

Votes (at a glance)

- Item 12 (Alcovey Rise LLC / ~1,500 acres; proposed M-1 for data processing): Resolution to object approved, yes 4, abstain 1 (Commissioner Henderson stated she abstained citing not receiving notice in time). - Item 13 (Strategic Development Partners LLC / ~90 acres; proposed M-1 for warehouse space): Resolution to object approved, yes 4, abstain 1. - Item 14 (Georgia Stroud Creek Land LLC / Shrout's Creek Road; proposed L-1 for data center): Resolution to object approved, yes 4, abstain 1.

What was not decided

The board's votes were procedural objections to annexation notices; they did not directly adopt or deny zoning changes inside the municipalities. The county's action initiates arbitration procedures under state law; it does not, by itself, change property zoning or municipal approvals.

Context

County staff noted the proposals differ from the county’s future land-use map and that the county’s existing water-sewer infrastructure and road networks could face heightened demands if large computing or warehousing facilities are built. Commissioners and public speakers repeatedly urged higher impact fees for major industrial developments and stronger county-city coordination before such annexations proceed.