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League and residents press Augusta for clearer data-center ordinance process
Summary
The League of Women Voters and residents demanded clearer public engagement and transparency on the data-center ordinance and moratorium extension, asking who will run public meetings, how comments will shape the draft, and pointing to three scheduled public meetings in August and September.
Community groups and residents pressed the commission on Aug. 4 for more transparent public engagement as Augusta updates its zoning for data centers.
Gayla Kiese, co-president of the League of Women Voters of the CSRA, said scheduling public meetings alone is insufficient without an explanation of how the meetings will be run and how input will influence the ordinance. "A transparent process requires more than public meetings," she said, asking who will plan and conduct the sessions and whether consultants or staff will lead them.
Director/Administrator told the commission the planning department had scheduled three public meetings for Aug. 10, Aug. 31 and Sept. 3 and said the draft ordinance would be posted online with the opportunity to comment. The administrator also described proposed improvements to notice practices for future rezonings and stated the consultants would support additional engagement.
Kiese asked for clarity on whether the planning commission would consider the ordinance before public engagement was complete and urged the commission to provide plain-language explanations of why standards were included or excluded. She also announced a community town hall on data centers and wetlands scheduled for the coming weekend and asked commissioners to attend.
