Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County –Lowndes County, GA 2026-03-09

So people can catch up on what is happening with datacenters,
here is Lowndes County’s astonishingly informative post on the process going forward,
illustrated and annotated with what has already happened.

This post does not mean that I or LAKE or any organization with which I am associated
are in favor of or opposed to everything of anything in the county’s post.
There are and will be plenty of other posts for such opinions.

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County, by Lowndes County, GA, 2026-03-09

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County

Lowndes County, Georgia — On July 8, 2025, the Lowndes County
Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning of REZ-2025-11, Coleman
Road~719 acres from its current C-C (Crossroads Commercial) and CON
(Conservation District) zoning classification to M-1 (Light
Manufacturing) and CON (Conservation District) zoning classification
with the following seven (7) conditions:

5.b. REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1,

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25109

LAKE video: https://youtu.be/OKdjvi4wTV4

There shall be no access to Briarberry Drive and Quail Hollow
Circle from the subject property.

Should a change in use occur where additional transportation
and/or water/sewer infrastructure upgrades are required, the
Developer will be responsible for the design, any acquisition of
necessary right-of-way, relocation of utilities, and construction
costs for the infrastructure improvements.

All lots shall front interior roads.
A 200′ undisturbed buffer shall be required along the Northern,
and Southern property lines abutting current Residential Zoning
District boundaries.

Any lighting located on the property shall be shielded and
directed to avoid direct illumination of adjacent properties zoned
Residentially.

Any loudspeakers, paging systems, or electromagnetic
interference generated on or by uses of the property shall be
designed, installed and used such that they are not discernable at
any abutting property line zoned Residentially.

Correctional Facilities, Transitional Care Facilities, and
Kennels with Outdoor Runs shall not be allowed.

to be developed into a large warehouse type campus.

PDF

GLPC recommended approval 4:3 with the seven staff-recommended conditions.

PDF

In accordance with Lowndes County’s Unified Land Development Code, a
data center may be built on parcels that are zoned in accordance
with seven of the code’s zoning districts to include manufacturing.

Please know this is not an automatic approval for a data center to
move forward. A project the size of a data center, similar to other
industrial projects would trigger a Development of Regional Impact
(DRI) study. Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) are large-scale
developments that are likely to have regional effects beyond the
local government jurisdiction in which they are located. This
process provides for the specific impact of a development to be
determined and includes both positive and negative considerations.
Further, it is important to remember that even though a parcel may
be zoned manufacturing, development conditions related to buffers,
set-backs, water consumption/discharge, traffic, noise, electricity,
drainage and other impacts can be conditioned prior to the
development moving forward and permits being issued. In short, there
is a tremendous amount of due diligence that is required to take
place in order for a data center to develop in Lowndes County.

The next step in the process for any data center that might want to
locate in Lowndes County on a parcel that is properly zoned would be
for representatives to schedule and attend a Technical Review
Committee (TRC) meeting. The Technical Review Committee is comprised
of state and county employees that represent the departments
involved in the development process, such as the department of
health, utilities, planning and zoning, permitting and inspections,
engineering, fire and rescue and others. From this meeting,
requirements for developments are conveyed. If representatives
considering a data center scheduled one of these meetings, this is
where conversations related to requirements addressing water
consumption/discharge, buffers, land disturbance, noise and other
issues would be discussed. Permitting and operation of the facility
would be conditioned upon Lowndes County’s ordinance-based
requirements being met. Further, additional requirements can also be
conditioned during this process. It is important to note that while
these meetings are led at the staff level, the Lowndes County Board
of Commissioners frequently attend these meetings to monitor
communications and staff directions.

At this time, Lowndes County does not have an ordinance that
specifically addresses requirements for data centers other than
general light manufacturing standards, which the county agrees are
not adequate. This DOES NOT mean that if project representatives
wished to meet with the TRC prior to ordinance adoption that a
project would be approved and permitted being that there is not an
ordinance in place.

Currently, the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners has charged
staff with gathering information from communities in Georgia that
have experienced both positive and negative impacts from data
centers. In addition, Commissioners are having conversations with
their elected counterparts and the Association of County
Commissioners of Georgia. There is a lot of information being
discussed publicly regarding data center impacts. In an effort to
understand this information first hand, Lowndes County is planning
on making site visits to other projects, continuing conversations
with interested stake holders-both for and against and reviewing
ordinances that have been adopted in other communities that have
faced challenges associated with data centers.

Speakers for and against at the Greater Lowndes Planning Commission (GLPC),

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25097

Datacenter meeting at VSU, 2026-02-12:

https://wwals.net/?p=69473

Unprecedented transparency, Need much more due diligience, Datacenter meeting, VSU, Lowndes County, GA 2026-02-17

Lowndes County shares both the interests and concerns of all
citizens as it relates to the development of data centers in Lowndes
County. It is the intent of the county to move forward with openness
and transparency regarding the development of policy and the
accountability of developers. It would be unfair to say that a
decision has been made to either allow or prohibit data centers in
Lowndes County. There is a lot of research and exploration to be
completed prior to the nature of an official policy being drafted.
Lowndes County will continue to move forward with public reports
regarding progress to include any official action taken with regards
to engagement by a developer for a project location. At this time NO
plans have been submitted or permits requested or issued for a data
center in Lowndes County.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Lowndes County Board of
Commissioners is scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, at 5:30 p.m.,
Lowndes County Administrative Building, 325 N Ashley Street,
Valdosta. Contrary to reports on social media, there is no agenda
item for discussion or consideration scheduled for tomorrow evening
regarding data centers or a data center project. Citizens may fill
out a Citizens Wishing to be Heard form prior to the meeting and
address the Commission at the appropriate time, when called. Forms
are required to be completed and turned into the County Clerk prior
to the meeting being called to order at 5:30 p.m. Please know that
the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners looks forward to working
with citizens as the education process moves toward policy
development.

Thank you.

There were five Citizens Wishing to Be Heard, all against datacenters,
at the Tuesday, March 10, 2026, Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25555

One speaker thought datacenters should go out in the woods in the country. I beg to differ.

The next Lowndes County Commission Regular Session is tomorrow, Tuesday, March 23 24, 2026.
Once again, there is
nothing on the agenda about datacenters,
but there is Citizens Wishing to Be Heard.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/?p=25561

V-2025-07-08

REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1, & CON, to M-1 & CON, County Utilities

Commercial, Office, and Institutional Zoning Districts

PDF

Industrial and Intensive Zoning Districts

PDF

Rezoning Map for Langdale Capital Assets, Inc.

PDF

Zoning Location Map

PDF

Future Development Map

PDF

WRPDO Site Map

PDF

P-2025-06-30

4. REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Rd C-C R-1 CON to M-1 CON, 2025-06-30 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Pope Langdale spoke for, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Against: Dr. Jeana B. Seemann, 4634 Briarberry Drive, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Against: Gretchen Quarterman, 6565 Quarterman Road, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Against: Jeana Strickland, ???? Briarberry Drive, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Against: Windy Scott, 4629 Briarberry Drive, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

Against: Don Driebelbis, 4629 Rustic Ridge Road, 2025-06-30 REZ-2025-11 @ GLPC, LAKE video

-jsq

Investigative reporting costs money, for open records requests, copying, web hosting, gasoline, and cameras, and with sufficient funds we can pay students to do further research. You can donate to LAKE today!

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/donate

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County –Lowndes County, GA 2026-03-09

Data Center Prospects in Lowndes County

V-2025-07-08

REZ-2025-11 Langdale Capital Assets, Coleman Road, ~719 ac, C-C, R-1, & CON, to M-1 & CON, County Utilities

P-2025-06-30