Perry city council propose an amendment to prevent city data centers

Key takeaways – 

• Community Development Director Bryan Wood proposed a text amendment aimed at being proactive in restricting data centers. 
• Mayor and council approve the purchase of credits in reference to Sadie Heights stormwater project.
• Department of Leisure Services announces New Year’s Resolution week and congratulates 12U football program for winning the Georgia Recreation Parks Association class A state championship.
• Communications Director invites mayor, council and community to the annual Buzzard Drop New Year’s celebration.

PERRY – Mayor Randall Walker and council looked to avoid data centers in Perry during its Dec. 17 council meeting.

Public Hearing/Data Centers

During the meeting, Community Development Director Bryan Wood requested a text amendment to a land management ordinance. It was not approved or denied since it is the first reading.

The second part of the amendment addresses data centers. The text amendment would add data centers as use, permitted by a special exception in the M-2 Industrial Zoning district. According to city documents, data centers are defined as: “a facility of one or more buildings that can be exclusively owned and used by a private company or owned by a cloud storage service wherein IT infrastructure is housed for building, running, and delivering applications, or housing large amounts of data.”

Wood said right now the city does not have a definition of data centers and it is not specifically identified in the ordinance. He also shared it is trying to be proactive in restricting them. According to Wood, data centers would fall under a general category of industrial services which are permitted in the C-2, M-1 and M-2 districts, adding defining data centers would require the city to only allow then by special exceptions. In M-2 zoning, it will restrict the locations that could be considered. 

Wood said allowing special exceptions would require the city to evaluate each proposal that may come, consider its individual impact on city services and the surrounding communities for its particular use in its particular location. It would also require public hearings and council decision.

During the regular council meeting, a concerned citizen voiced concerns about the data centers. He said he understands the city bringing in business and industry, but does not believe data centers are a good industry to bring. 

He also shared his research on them and said they can bring pollutants into the air. He believes this industry would ruin the city’s charm and he would appreciate it if the mayor and city council would be against it.

During pre-council meeting, Walker clarified there are currently no applications for data centers and Wood said no one has contacted him to build one in the city. 

“This is a proactive approach, because we recognize what the impact can be because they are rather noisy, and they do use a lot of water and electricity, which we have concerns about,” Wood said.

Mayor Pro Tempore Robert Jones also clarified the city is not actively bringing a data center to the city. Jones said the text amendment would make it difficult for a data center to come to the city and a special exemption is the city being proactive and responsive to concerns.

Walker said data centers require an abundance of water and electricity, which the city does not have. He shared it would be difficult for the city to support the idea of a data center.

Wood also informed mayor and council animal shelters and adoption services are proposed to be allowed as permitted use in the M-1 district. Wood said it is currently allowed in the M-2 district. M-1 zones are specifically designated for industrial zones. 

Sadie Heights and Stonebridge update

Later in the meeting, Engineering Services Manager Chad McMurrian presented a recommendation for the Sadie Heights stormwater project and wetland mitigation plant. This was approved during the council meeting.

McMurrian also presented a quote from the Wilkinson-Oconee mitigation bank. There is currently a stormwater project in the Sadie Heights and Stonebridge subdivisions, which is experiencing flooding.

According to McMurrian, it took a while for the process to go from ISC through the wetlands soil sciences and the Army Corps of Engineers. He said it is confirmed there are wetlands on the site, and they will need credits to move forward with the project. 

He asked mayor and council for their approval to purchase the credits, which cost $62,400.

Approval of Fiscal Year 2024 operating budget

Later in the meeting, Director of Finance Mitchell Worthington presented the second reading of the operating budget, which was approved. 

Adopting the budget will match the revenues and expenses of fiscal year 2024, which ended on June 30, 2024, Worthington said. He also said passing the amendment will allow the finance department to step out of the review process at the state. 

If the state sees differences in the city’s expenses between reality and the budget, there would be an extra review process. Worthington said passing the budget will avoid the extra step.

To view the full budget click here. 

New Year’s and Resolution Week

Toward the end of the meeting, Leisure Services Director Curtis Coates shared with mayor and council the Leisure Services Department will be doing a New Year’s Resolution week. Coates said the week will cover topics from Health, Finance and interview city staff members and community members to cover those topics. 

Coates also said the Leisure Services Department won the Atlanta Hawks grant in the amount of $2,380. He shares the city was one of 70 applicants. The money will go towards their girl’s basketball program.

Coates finally congratulated the 12U football program for winning the Georgia Recreation Parks Association class A state championship. He shared he looks forward to presenting the team to mayor and council at the next city council meeting.

Communications Director Tabitha Clark reminded mayor, council and the community of the upcoming Buzzard Drop New Year’s Eve celebration. The event will take place on Dec. 31 in downtown Perry from 7 p.m. to midnight. There will be a kiddie countdown at 8 p.m. for those who do not want to stay up until midnight. Clark also shared there will be fireworks to ring in 2025. 

Councilman James Moody said they started the year celebrating the city’s 200^th birthday and the buzzard drop will be a great way to end the city’s birthday. 

Mayor and council wished everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Mayor and council will meet again for their pre-council starting at 5 p.m. and regular council meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 7. Everyone is invited to attend these meetings, and the agenda can be found here.