Bartow Planning Commission voted 6-1 against rezoning request
They said no to a data center in Adairsville.
Citizens opposing a proposed data center on Barnsley Gardens Road erupted in victorious applause Monday night after the Bartow County Planning Commission voted not to recommend the proposal to Commissioner Steve Taylor. The sole approving vote came from Board Chairman Boyd Morris.
It was a good night for most opposing land use changes and rezoning requests. The commission voted unanimously to decline approval of a request for 13 JR Road. Many who came to the meeting opposed a proposal to build a mini storage center, with 10 speaking out against it to the commission.
The commission approved a proposal by Freeman Investments LLLP for a residential development on Gaines Road despite public opposition and five speaking out. However, it attached conditions that the development be limited to 114 lots with a minimum of 10,000 square feet per lot.
This was the fifth time a proposal for the area had been brought to the planning commission. Those working with the project said they are trying to find a compromise that would gain approval and this proposal offered 114 lots with the minimum 10,000-square feet area.
The marathon meeting lasted past 10 p.m. with the data center proposal discussion and public comment lasting two hours. The board voted to extend the time for both sides to an additional 30 minutes once but voted down a second extension, thwarting speaking time for eight people signing up to speak in opposition.
The final 6-1 vote to deny both changing the land use map and recommending the rezoning request to move from agricultural to industrial came as a surprise to the public attending. Board members first voted on adding a condition to limit the number of buildings to the six proposed should the motion gain approval and voted to add the developer’s voluntary conditions to the application.
Board members indicated two factors were convincing. The first was the impact on Barnsley Resort. The second was the possibility that recommending approval to change from agricultural to industrial would open a floodgate of other industrial development into an otherwise rural area where families have lived for generations.
Barnsley Resort was represented in opposition by David Friederich and an attorney from Atlanta. Friederich said approval of the data center would have a strong negative impact on the resort and its plans. Plans include building $1 million homes in the area with other amenities. That deal could end if a data center was approved.
Additionally, Barnsley Resort revenue could suffer as out-of-state guests look for peaceful areas and could see the data center on Google Maps. It could mean job loss for the resort’s 300-plus workers, Friederich said.
Data center developer Atlas Development LLC was on hand for rebuttal. Its attorney, Brandon Bowen, repeatedly said no one would know the data center was there and that it would bring $14 million in county tax revenue and $33 million in school revenue yearly.
The more than 20 area residents speaking against the proposal included both area newcomers and those whose great-grandparents settled in the area. Many of those farms had concerns about well water contamination and environmental concerns.
Taylor will review all the planning board’s recommendations at a hearing scheduled for May 14 at 10 a.m.
Melody Dareing is a freelance writer for publications in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Germany. She is a former news director of Adelphia Channel 4 and WBHF Radio.