Bartow County data center: Neighbors raise water, land concerns
Bartow County site eyed for new data center development
The Kingston Unified Zoning Board voted 2-1 to recommend a special use permit for a 261-acre data center along State Route 293 ahead of a final decision by the Kingston City Council, according to city records.
KINGSTON, Ga. - Community members packed a local restaurant to question developers over a massive data center proposed on more than 500 acres of rural Bartow County land.
Kingston data center proposal
What we know:
New York City-based Thor Equities wants to build a data center along State Route 293 about two miles east of town.
Organizers had to move a town-hall-style meeting from Kingston City Hall to a nearby restaurant because of high resident turnout.
The developer holds a 561-acre site but plans to build on only half of the property.
Developers told neighbors the site will run on a closed-loop water system to reduce municipal water consumption.
Bartow County land debate
What they're saying:
Thor Equities Executive Vice President Raj Vohra defended the economic impact of the project during the meeting.
"We're really hoping to do it in a way that will add net benefits to the community through new tax dollars," Vohra said. "We believe the community and the schools in the area can greatly benefit from [the revenue]." Vohra said.
Some neighbors supported the potential financial windfall for the small town of under 1,000 residents.
Resident Jody Hardin attended to verify his personal research.
"I think it's good for Kingston." Hardin said. "For the revenue and everything, because we do need the revenue for improvements and everything like that here."
Other neighbors voiced concerns about development swallowing rural green space.
Paul Muir lives down the road from the proposed site. He says that elected leaders haven't been transparent about the zoning process.
"I love farming, agriculture, conservation work, and the more development that comes to Kingston and Bartow County, the more the natural resources get pushed away," Muir said. He added: "You have economics to make money, and the forest usually loses. So my concern is the forest, my farm."
Community development concerns
What we don't know:
Thor Equities confirmed that no client has signed a contract to occupy the planned data center facility. It remains unclear exactly which technology or enterprise companies might eventually operate on the site.
Construction timing is also pending final local authorizations. If the project clears all required government reviews, construction will still take between two and four years to begin.
City council permit decision
What's next:
The Kingston Unified Zoning Board approved a recommendation for a special use permit Monday in a 2-1 vote.
The full Kingston City Council ultimately needs to approve the special use permit. The council's next meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 Atlanta reporter Hernan Gutierrez, who attended the developer town hall and interviewed residents and company officials, as well as local zoning board records.