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Howell Station residents protest Georgia Power easement; commissioners say county funds and engagement may help mitigate impacts
Summary
Howell Station residents told Fulton County commissioners that a March sale of a county easement to Georgia Power will place high‑voltage lines near homes, reduce tree buffers and harm property values; commissioners said they will pursue mitigation.
Residents of the Howell Station neighborhood in Atlanta urged Fulton County commissioners on May 21 to revisit a recently approved easement sale to Georgia Power that residents say will place 115‑kilovolt transmission lines near homes and remove tree buffers.
Residents’ complaints Several residents described being unaware of the project until after a March decision to sell about $3.5 million in land for an easement. Speakers said Georgia Power told them community engagement typically occurs after easement acquisition and that alternate routes had been dismissed because of higher cost. Neighbors asked the county to demand reroutes or community benefits and to press Georgia Power and the major power customers (data centers named in public records) to pay for rerouting costs.
Commission reaction and options Chairman Rob Pitts and County Manager Steve Flynn told residents the county has limited ability to overturn an executed easement; the board’s consent agenda action and subsequent signature process shows the county received proceeds and executed documents in April. Pitts said county staff will pursue mitigation options and asked Georgia Power to meet again with the neighborhood on June 3. He and the manager said proceeds from the easement could be used to buy or plant screening on nearby county‑owned parcels, and that the county will request Georgia Power’s contribution toward visual and sound buffering.
Why it matters The easement affects neighbors’ safety, property values and environmental amenities. Residents said the lines will run next to play areas for children and across residential lots that were acquired by investment firms for commercial use. The controversy spotlights tensions between large commercial loads (data centers and other energy‑intensive users), utility routing practices and community engagement timelines.
Next steps County officials said staff will attend the June 3 meeting with Georgia Power and the neighborhood and return to the board with options for vegetation, barrier planting, potential community benefits agreements and any legal or financial steps available to the county.
Ending Commissioners urged residents to attend the Georgia Power meeting and pledged to pursue mitigation options and coordinate among affected city and county agencies.
