Marietta City Council approves zoning for second data center in heated meeting

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Marietta City Council approved zoning to build a new data center during a Wednesday night meeting despite protesters’ complaints.

The order covers about 11 acres at 1155 Powers Ferry Place. Developers want to convert part of the site’s existing building into an 18-megawatt data center, according to the application. That’s enough to power thousands of homes for a year.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Marietta City Council tables vote on proposed data center

During the meeting, the protesters held signs and yelled their disapproval. Some walked out, while others were escorted by police.

“Can we have some decorum in here, please?” Councilman Daniel Gaddis said at one point.

“Are you kidding me? You represent us, not them,” someone in the crowd shouted back.

The decision comes after the city council approved zoning for another data center off Bells Ferry Road last year.

In a letter to the city council in July, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce said it approves of the newest application.

“Data centers are an important opportunity to strengthen and future-proof our local economy and ensure businesses have the infrastructure to grow in our community,” the letter said.

But several residents also wrote to the council before the meeting, relaying their concerns about noise disturbances and environmental pollution, especially to the nearby Roottenwood Creek.

The city’s analysis of the application noted that the developer promised to reduce noise by building enclosures, but provided no specifics.

“Since Marietta’s zoning code does not include standards specific to data centers, additional information would be needed to evaluate potential impacts on surrounding properties,” the analysis said.

The analysis also said about 2.5% of the property lies within the Rottenwood Creek floodplain, but it would be “difficult to gauge” how the data center would affect it.