LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) — A proposed 720-acre data center development near Foxborough has sparked intense community debate, with residents expressing concerns about water usage, environmental impact and quality of life changes following a packed town hall meeting Tuesday night.
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The rezoning request for land off Coleman Road was originally described as a "large warehouse type campus" without explicit details about the facilities' full plans or naming the interested company. Now that more information has emerged about the data center project, neighbors are voicing strong opposition.
"It's different from a natural disaster. This is a disaster waiting to happen," one resident said during the heated discussion.
Joel Dion, who lost his previous home in Hurricane Helene, said the uncertainty surrounding the project has been overwhelming. His concerns focus on water use, environmental impact, and quality of life in a neighborhood that backs up to conservation land.
"As far as purchasing a house, obviously you don't want to purchase something in one condition with the surroundings and then have the surroundings completely change," Dion said.
Residents also pointed to Valdosta's existing infrastructure challenges following previous storms as a major concern.
"We already have tons of water issues in Valdosta, so the idea of something else complicating that doesn't seem very appealing," another neighbor said.
However, Pope Langdale, the landowner working with DC BLOX on the project, defended the development at Tuesday's town hall. He said the project represents a major economic opportunity that could bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to the area.
"I'm here to tell you, if I felt this was a bad idea for the community, we would have never embarked down this path," Langdale said.
County leaders have not announced any final decision on the proposed data center. Neighbors say they will continue pushing for transparency as the debate continues.
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