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Gainesville council approves zoning amendment for Palmer Drive data center with 65‑decibel limit
Summary
The Gainesville Mayor and Council unanimously approved ordinance 2024‑27 to allow a small data center at 1176 Palmer Drive SW, imposing seven staff‑recommended conditions including weekly noise monitoring at 100 feet and a 65‑decibel threshold that can trigger suspension of operations.
Gainesville — The mayor and city council on Nov. 5 unanimously approved a zoning amendment allowing Hodge Podge Technologies LLC to install four 10‑by‑45 data center huts at 1176 Palmer Drive SW in Ward 5, subject to seven conditions set by planning staff.
The conditions require weekly noise measurements between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. at a distance of 100 feet from the huts, set a 65‑decibel threshold at that location, and authorize the city to suspend operations if the threshold is exceeded and not corrected after written notice and a 30‑day cure period (limited to once every 12 months). Other conditions include planting and screening, black vinyl chain‑link fencing limited to 6 feet, a maximum height of 12 feet for improvements, developer‑paid access and sidewalk work reviewed by the public works director, and allowance for an on‑site storage container sized to a standard shipping container.
Planning staff told council the site lies in the Gainesville Industrial Park South within an airport overlay zone and noted an April 2024 special‑use approval had previously allowed two smaller huts on the parcel. Mr. Tate, the planning presenter, said the applicant revised its plan after earlier denial recommendations from staff and the Planning and Appeals Board and that the conditions are intended to limit noise and visual effects.
Representing the applicant, attorney Steve Gilliam said investors revised the plan after receiving a Georgia Power bill with substantial upgrade costs and reduced the proposal from six huts to four. "The total investment of the investors will be about $6,000,000," Gilliam said. He and other applicant representatives estimated increased property and personal‑property tax value for the city, and cited an approximate $160,000 estimated monthly electric bill. Gilliam said the applicant agreed to the seven conditions and asked council to approve the amendment.
Councilmember remarks before the vote praised staff and volunteers for negotiating revisions to the conditions; the ordinance passed on a unanimous vote.
What happens next: The ordinance (No. 2024‑27) was approved with conditions; the community and economic development director has administrative authority to approve two additional huts if weekly noise monitoring shows levels do not exceed 65 decibels at 100 feet.
