Statesboro Planning Commission Recommends Approval for Data Center Campus

The Statesboro Planning Commission voted 5-1 on August 4 to recommend approval for a rezoning request to allow the construction of a data center campus on Burkhalter Road in Statesboro, Georgia. The request, filed by 4am Development LLC and represented by Thomas & Hutton, seeks to rezone approximately 27 acres from a high-density residential district to an office and business district.

The proposed project consists of a two-story, 230,000-square-foot building, a 32,000-square-foot electrical substation, and a stormwater detention pond. The facility would utilize a closed-loop cooling system. The United States Army Corps of Engineers is currently reviewing identified wetlands on the property to determine the development's environmental impact.

During a public meeting, local residents expressed opposition to the project, citing concerns over noise, property values, and the demand for electricity and water during drought conditions. Developer Charles Way disputed these claims, arguing that the facility's water use would be significantly lower than that of residential apartments and that noise would not be audible from a distance.

The proposal now moves to the Statesboro City Council, which is scheduled to consider the rezoning at its August 18 meeting. If approved, the developers must still secure a special-use permit, which requires compliance with noise limits and the submission of an economic impact report.