Reporting by Erica Van Buren, Augusta Chronicle
A draft ordinance governing data centers will be discussed at an Augusta Commission meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
Data centers typically are large facilities that house computer servers meant to provide the large processing needs required for artificial intelligence. Officials are considering an ordinance to set a clear framework for the development of future data centers in Augusta while examining potential impacts on residents.
The proposed ordinance establishes standards intended to encourage investment while ensuring new development aligns with the city’s long-term planning goals, according to the City of Augusta website.
The ordinance includes standards addressing:
- Appropriate zoning districts for data center development.
- Minimum setbacks and buffers from residential neighborhoods and sensitive land uses.
- Site design, landscaping, and architectural compatibility.
- Noise, lighting, and visual impact mitigation.
- Utility coordination and infrastructure capacity.
- Emergency access and public safety requirements.
- Environmental performance and stormwater management.
- Ongoing operational standards and compliance monitoring.
The Augusta Commission approved plans in 2024 for a 170-acre data center on Gordon Highway without data center-specific local regulations in place. Developer QTS Data Centers has begun work on the $2 billion, 2.15 million-square-foot facility at 2883 Gordon Hwy., next to the Haynes Station subdivision.
The draft ordinance was developed through a planning process that includes technical research and industry best practices, noted city officials, who say the regulations would provide a transparent and consistent review process for developers, residents and decision-makers.
Georgia Power makes pledge amid discussion of data centers in Augusta
Amid these considerations and public meetings in Augusta, Georgia Power announced a new customer protection pledge, which the company says is designed to protect ratepayers from the costs attributed to data centers, according to a news release.
“We know that, in many parts of the country, rapid growth and increasing demand for electricity are creating higher electric rates and lower reliability. That is not happening in Georgia,” Kim Greene, Georgia Power’s chairman, president, and CEO, said in a news release. “Our pledge defines the strategy that has been working for Georgia Power customers in recent years. As we expand the power grid to serve this growth, we will do so responsibly and in a way that lives up to our longstanding mission to be a Citizen Wherever We Serve.”
According to Georgia Power, the Customer Protection Pledge includes six commitments:
- Protect rates and keep energy affordable.
- Ensure new large energy users pay their way.
- Invest in a stronger, more reliable grid.
- Negotiate fairly and transparently for property.
- Power a balanced, reliable energy future.
- Protect shared resources.
The draft data center ordinance is sent to be discussed in a public commission meeting to be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Room 291 of the Augusta Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St. Residents can speak at the meeting or submit feedback at www.augustaga.gov.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@usatodayco.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle.
