Residents press Paulding County commissioners for moratorium and safety review on proposed data centers

Multiple residents used the county's public-comment period to press commissioners for a pause on data-center approvals and the Technology Overlay District process. Several speakers cited water consumption, impacts on private wells, electricity-grid strain and higher utility bills, noise from cooling systems and backup generators, and risks posed by fuel storage and lithium-ion thermal runaway in electrical equipment. Jimmy Hawkins said data centers are a "David and Goliath story" and urged commissioners not to create zoning loopholes that circumvent local rezoning.

Public commenters proposed specific steps: independent environmental studies, noise-containment plans with enforceable penalties, independent noise consultants, investigation of whether the county's water system can meet cooling demand, and emergency-response assessments coordinated across fire, police and neighboring jurisdictions. Caller S9 (Cindy Oldham) asked for a minimum six-month moratorium and criteria for data-center proposals; another speaker (S2, Todd Powne) asked for a one-year moratorium and said an October 1, 2025 plat showing 14 buildings (totaling 4,025,000 square feet) should have been available in planning-and-zoning backup materials.

Speakers also disagreed internally about framing and tactics: one commenter who identified as a local property owner (Elizabeth Lyle) urged caution about alarmist claims and said some companies (she cited Google in Douglas County) use treated wastewater for cooling and make mitigation commitments. The public-comment session ended with the board moving to executive session on separate business; commissioners did not take a vote on a moratorium at this meeting.