Council approves several rezonings, annexations and a proposed data center; Bells Ferry plan draws sustained public comment

The Marietta City Council on Wednesday approved a slate of land-use actions — rezoning requests, an annexation and related code amendments — including a high-profile request to rezone 1751 Bells Ferry Road for a proposed data center campus.

The Bells Ferry proposal drew about two dozen public comments at the meeting. Presenters for the applicants described the site plan as two large data center buildings, a dedicated electrical substation to be built by agreement with MEAG, and a plan to locate the project partially below surrounding grade so the buildings would be less visually prominent from neighboring homes. Attorney Kevin Moore told the council the applicant has worked with Marietta Power and Cobb Water and said the project would select Marietta Power as its electricity provider.

Residents and community speakers questioned noise from cooling and backup systems, water and power impacts, whether added demand would raise local electricity costs, and the number of permanent jobs the campus would create. Some speakers urged the council to delay action or seek more information about environmental and community impacts. Supporters, including residents and proponents, highlighted projected tax revenue, the city’s ability to supply power locally through Marietta Power and the strategic location near transmission lines and I‑75.

What the council approved

- Z2025-11 (1751 Bells Ferry Road): Rezoning from CRC (Community Retail Commercial) to LI (Light Industrial) for a proposed data center campus and a special land use permit to relocate an existing cell tower. The council approved stipulations submitted by the applicant including four‑sided exterior building materials, shielded site lighting, nonconforming billboards to remain subject to nonconforming rules, and a commitment to work with Marietta Power on transmission and substation arrangements. Staff and the planning commission recommended approval; council vote carried 7-0.

- Z2024-208 (1951 Canton Road): Rezoning from CRC to LI for reuse of an existing industrial property. The council approved the rezoning and added a stipulation limiting renewal of an existing billboard lease: the current tenant may remain until the lease expiration in summer 2027 but successors may not extend beyond that term; the city may enforce removal if the sign is not removed within three months after expiration. Motion carried 7-0.

- Z2025-09 / Annexation (WhiteHawk Business Park; Weaver Drive/Canton Road): Council approved rezoning of multiple parcels from CRC and R‑20 (Cobb County) to LI, annexed the parcels into the city, and adopted the accompanying code amendment; the planning commission recommended approval and the council voted 7-0.

- Z2025-12 (74 Austin Avenue): Council approved rezoning 0.154 acres from CRC to R4 (single‑family residential) for a house the applicant has under contract. Council conditioned approval on the property being brought up to required permits and building-code standards before final occupancy; motion carried 7-0.

- Z2025-13 (266 Crescent Circle): Council approved rezoning from OI (office institutional) to R4 to allow residential reuse; motion carried 7-0.

- Z2025-14 (462 & 480 Roswell Street): Council approved rezoning from CRC to CRC with an additional use as a contractor’s office for Summit Heating & Air, including stipulations in the applicant’s letter to preserve landscaping, require architecture approval for building and on-site fencing and to prohibit outdoor storage outside paved areas; motion carried 7-0.

Other procedural items

- Consent‑agenda changes: Staff announced three items related to Sugar Bear Properties, LLC will be tabled and retabled to Aug. 13, 2025. Staff also said additional language would be added to the proposed lease-extension item for 156 Church Street; the item stayed on the consent agenda with the added language.

- Code amendment CA (advertising and administrative variances): Council approved a code amendment to revert Board of Zoning Appeals advertisement time to at least 15 but not more than 30 days, and to remove references to administrative variances in several code sections (720.04, 724 definitions, 710.04 fences and walls, 710.05 buffers) to align with state law; the motion carried with recorded vote 6-0 and one abstention.

Why the Bells Ferry site drew comment

Speakers who opposed or sought delay said the campus would consume large amounts of electricity and water, could produce audible noise from cooling and backup generator systems, and would provide relatively few permanent jobs (speakers cited ‘‘about 40’’). Commenters asked whether Marietta Power customers would see rates rise as a result; the applicant said the project’s developer would pay for transmission upgrades and substation construction through MEAG agreements and that the data center would pay for its own power usage and procurement.

Applicant Kevin Moore and supporters told the council the project could generate substantial property taxes and franchise fees that would benefit Marietta and the city school system, and the applicant agreed that any zoning variances in the approval would apply only to this specific plan rather than become general zoning changes.

Next steps

For sites requiring environmental cleanup and remediation, applicants said they would pursue required state approvals and remediation plans. For sites requiring leases or billboard removal, council stipulations specify timelines and enforcement by city code enforcement if sign removal is not completed.

Ending

Council members said they relied on the planning commission recommendations and staff analyses in voting; each rezoning carried by the recorded or voice votes noted above. Several applications included conditions that will require follow‑up review by city staff before issuance of building permits.