Ware County advances zoning text amendments covering cryptocurrency mining, solar farms and setback rules

WAYCROSS, Ga. — The Ware County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing April 14, 2025, on a package of proposed changes to the Ware County Zoning Resolution that would add cryptocurrency and data mining and solar farms as conditional uses in multiple zoning districts, create new definitions and setbacks for digital-mining facilities, and adjust rules for manufactured homes and rear setbacks.

Planning staff member Mr. Minchew introduced the first proposal, a change to Section 706.3 to add "Cryptocurrency Mining & Data Mining" and "Solar Farms" as conditional uses in the GI (General Industrial) district, saying the amendment would allow neighbors an opportunity to comment on proposed developments. County Manager James Shubert presented parallel proposals for the A (Agriculture) district (Section 707.5), a new definition for cryptocurrency and related activities (Section 302.1B), and a special-setback provision (Section 617) intended to protect residences from excessive sound generated by data-mining facilities.

Two members of the public spoke against the cryptocurrency provisions. David Johnson said he opposed cryptocurrency mining "because it would be easy to hack," and Debra Giddens said she had "heard it causes adverse effects in livestock due to the noise." No members of the public spoke in favor of the amendments during the hearing.

Staff also proposed technical zoning edits: removing a requirement that meter bases be mounted to manufactured homes (Section 708.B2(n)) to clarify applicability in the A-3 Agriculture Forestry District; permitting single-wide manufactured homes in CDD zoning districts (Section 712.2), noting residential uses in those districts carry a 75-foot front setback; and reducing the rear setback in the R-90 district from 35 feet to 25 feet where public water and sewer are available to allow homes to be placed closer to rear property lines when septic tanks are not required.

Each of the items presented at the hearing was "added to the regular meeting agenda" for further consideration, according to the record. Commissioner Leonard Burse moved to close the public hearing; Commissioner Jon Tindall seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. The public hearing closed at 5:44 p.m.; the board recorded a proposed approval date of June 9, 2025.

What happens next: The amendments heard April 14 were forwarded to the board's regular meeting for formal consideration. Staff indicated the conditional-use approach would allow site-specific review and public comment before any individual cryptocurrency, data-mining, or solar project could be approved.

Clarifying details drawn from the hearing: the ordinance amendments reference specific sections of the Ware County Zoning Resolution (Sections 706.3, 707.5, 302.1B, 617, 708.B2(n), 712.2 and the R-90 setback provision); the CDD district's residential uses were noted to have a 75-foot front setback; the proposed effective date for board action was recorded as June 9, 2025. The transcript contained a typographical rendering of County Manager Shubert's name in one segment; the record of staff present and multiple other segments identify him as County Manager James Shubert.

Sources: remarks and staff presentations at the Ware County public hearing, April 14, 2025; public comments from David Johnson and Debra Giddens; official motion to close the hearing by Commissioner Leonard Burse.