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By Jeff Moore

Contributing writer

 

Crisp County Board of Commissioners approved Red Wolf Properties’ request to rezone 583.62 acres of combined parcels for construction of a new data processing center.

At its Tuesday, June 10 meeting, commissioners adopted an ordinance for the rezoning with a list of requirements that have to be met for the site, located off Cemetery Road and Ninth Street.

Interim County Administrator Mickey Dunnavant first presented the board with the findings of fact about the rezoning.

“The state requires us to answer eight standards for this rezone,” Dunnavant said, going over each of them and the findings that the proposed project meets all of them.

“Planning and zoning recommends the commission approve the request to rezone the following parcels from rural residential to general commercial,” he said.

On the standards required by the state, he said the proposed use is consistent with the stated purpose of the zoning district that is being requested.

Dunnavant said the proposed use is suitable in view of the zoning and development of adjacent to nearby properties.

“The west and south sides of the property are surrounded by

commercial and industrial zoning,” he said. “The north and most of the east side of the property is surrounded by the residential.”

Dunnavant said the proposed use will not adversely affect the existing use or usability of adjacent or nearby properties.

“The land fronts, heavy and general commercial property as well as rural residential and is adjacent to an existing industrial park,” he told commissioners.

He went on to say that the findings show the proposed use is compatible with the purpose and intent of county’s comprehensive plan. Dunnavant noted there also are no substantial reasons why the property cannot or should not be used is currently zoned

The findings also show that while data processing centers are not allowed as a use of rural residential zoning, he said that general commercial is the softest zoning that would allow for the requested use.

Dunnavant went on to say the findings also show that the proposed used will not cause an excessive burdensome use of public facilities or services including streets, schools, water or sewer utilities, and police or

fire protection.

“Water usage is estimated at .3 million gallons a day,” he told the commission. “They may have to make minor upgrades to ensure adequate flow and pressure to the site for the consumption and fire protection. Sewer is estimated at less than less than 1 million gallons a day. Sewer services will be extended into the site for the collection of non-industrial wastewater discharge into the city’s system. These

quantities are within the existing capability of the city of Cordele’s

water and sewer system.”

Dunnavant said the findings show the proposed use is supported by new or changing conditions anticipated by the comprehensive plan and are

reflected in the existing zoning on the property or surrounding

property.

The proposed site is located less than one mile from Interstate 75, Exit 102, he said.

“Exit 102 is experiencing a burst with commercial growth,” Dunnavant explained. “New investors are looking to add workforce housing

and other commercial office facilities around Love’s Truck Stop.”

He noted that more recently, a Dollar General store was built across

from the proposed site in 2021 and South Georgia Technical College is

located on the lot to the south.

Dunnavant said the proposed use does reflect a reasonable balance between the promotion of the public health, safety, morality or general welfare and the right to unrestricted use of the problem.

The proposed area to be rezoned includes several parcels of land owned by Leland and Sheila Crenshaw, Leland Crenshaw and Jeremy and Kelly Crenshaw that face Cemetery Road, Old Nesbit Road and Ninth Avenue.

The commission proceeded to unanimously accept the findings of fact and granted its approval for the lease of the land.

Next, Dunnavant presented the commission with the ordinance on rezoning the property from rural residential to general commercial, along with the a list of conditions that must be met for the property to be used for construction of operation of a data center.

These conditions include:

• The first phase of the construction must be set back at least 325 feet from the Old Nesbitt Road property.
• The property fronting Ninth Avenue must be used as the primary ingress and egress location during construction of phase one at Cemetery Road, with Old Nesbit Road to be an emergency ingress and egress option during construction.
• Fast-growing evergreen trees, shrubs and landscaping must be used to filter and dampen any sounds and sights when the center’s operational.
• When the project is completed, noise levels must not exceed those as set out in Article 3, noise control, Section 34-78, measurement and control of noise, subsection A, B and C of the Crisp County Code of Ordinances for general commercial property. The only exception is when the facility generators are tested.
• Red Wolf Properties DCD LLC must periodically examine the center’s

exterior lighting and correct any artificial lighting intrusions that may occur on neighboring residential properties during construction and after completion.

• Daily construction is limited to the hours between 6:30 a.m. and 8 p.m., with the exception of working involving concrete and interior build-out and finishes.
• Exceptions are to be coordinated with the building inspector.
• Appropriate soil and erosion measures be taken to minimize the dust from the construction site.
• Agriculture wells located on the property are to be sealed and not used for any commercial operation within the center, the exception being for landscape and irrigation on the property.
• A fire response plan be in place with Crisp County Fire and Rescue.
• Phone numbers for 24-hour availability for the construction site manager, operational site manager, and our security manager to maintain Crisp County 911 and updated as needed.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the ordinance granting the rezoning for Red Wolf Properties.

During a May 13 public hearing on the proposal, Red Wolf’s consultant Andy Camp, a regional director at Thomas and Hutton specializing in Georgia economic development, said the data center will create 180 to 200 new jobs with pay averaging about $80,000 a year. The jobs do not require college degrees, instead some technical training to achieve certifications, which can be accomplished with partnerships with local education partners — high school and area colleges.

He said that they also expect about 270 ancillary jobs that will be created in the community to support the facility’s operations.

The list of requirements in the approved rezoning ordinance address the concerns raised by residents who live in the area near the site and spoke in opposition to the data center’s location.

Camp also said during the public hearing that the developers will pay for all the needed infrastructure upgrades needed to support the data processing center.