Marietta residents debate guardrails, transparency amid proposed data center approval

The Marietta City Council approved a new data center Wednesday night in a 5 to 2 vote, as a packed crowd of residents urged city leaders to implement safeguards and improve transparency surrounding the project.

The debate centered on a proposed Prime data center development and comes as communities across the state wrestle with the economic benefits of data centers against concerns over their potential effects on nearby neighborhoods.

Residents filled the council meeting, with the overflow attendees directed to other areas of the building after officials said the room had reached its fire marshal capacity.

The question for several speakers was not necessarily whether data centers should exist in Marietta, but what rules should govern them.

"Should there be guardrails on DC development? Yes," Marietta resident Tracy Stevenson told council members. "Are there stipulations that should be attached to their development? Yes."

Stevenson also argued that there are benefits associated with the technology and jobs supported by artificial intelligence, but she warned against treating the debate as entirely one-sided.

Residents call for transparency

Ward 3 homeowner and business owner Lindsey Koch told council members she does not consider data centers inherently bad and pointed to ways A.I. and other technology have benefited her own health.

But, she said, those benefits do not eliminate the need for oversight.

"Robust doesn't negate the need for transparency, guardrails, and accountability," Koch claimed. 

Koch also criticized what she described as an information vacuum surrounding data center development, saying residents have struggled to find basic information through official city communications.

"Misinformation thrives In the absence of information," she said. "Transparency is how you win trust back."

Supporters point to jobs, tax revenue and tech innovation

Not everyone who addressed city council opposed the project.

John Porter, a Marietta resident of roughly 11 years, said, he supports the data center because he believes its infrastructure could help supports schools, public safety and other community needs.

Local business owner Stuart Wall said projects such as the proposed data center help support his roughy 20-employee company and other businesses tied to data center development.

Dana Johnson with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce also spoke in favor of the proposal, characterizing data centers as a form of infrastructure increasingly necessary for businesses, governments, schools and consumers.

Johnson said the development could add to the local tax base while supporting construction and information technology jobs.

"Your data infrastructure is just like your roads, just like your bridges, and just like your electricity," Johnson said.

David Crowley, who identified himself as a director of data center delivery solutions for a consultant to Prime Group, told council members the project is being designed with efficiency in mind.

"We are building one of the most efficient data centers that you can possibly build with the latest, greatest equipment, the most efficient equipment we can find," Crowley said.

State lawmaker raises concerns

State Rep. Mary Frances Williams was among those who spoke in opposition.

Williams questioned how state tax incentives for data centers could affect some of the projected financial benefits and said she still had concerns about the proposed development.

"I continue to have concerns that, In my opinion, have not been fully answered," Williams said.

Among them were noise from backup generators and details surrounding the facility's cooling system.

Williams said she had reviewed a noise study but did not believe it accounted for every possible scenario, including an emergency In which multiple standby generators could operate simultaneously. She also raised questions about the proposed use of propylene glycol In a cooling system that, according to documents she reviewed, would not use municipal water for cooling.

The competing testimony underscored the lager question facing Marietta officials and cities across the state: not whether data centers bring economic and technological benefits, but what protections should accompany their arrival.

"I'm asking for a true commitment to transparency," Koch told council members.

CBS News Atlanta reached out to Marietta City Council for comment. As of publication, they had not responded with additional information. If they do, we will be sure to update our reporting accordingly.