Rezoning application for potential datacenter, Coleman Road, Lowndes County 2025-06-30

I keep getting asked for the rezoning application for the potential datacenter site on Coleman Road in Lowndes County.

Please note that there is no application yet for a datacenter in Lowndes County.

The rezoning application for the potential site is in the board packets for the June 30, 2025, Planning Commission meeting and the July 7-8, 2025, Lowndes County Commission meetings.

Rezoning application for potential datacenter site, Coleman Road North to Withlacoochee River, Lowndes County 2025-06-30, 2025-07-08

The Planning Commission board packet materials, 2025-06-30

These were obtained from Lowndes County in response to an open records request from Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE):

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/06/packet-two-lowndes-county-rezoning-materials-glpc-2025-06-30.html

In case it’s not obvious, see this file:

https://wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-30-coleman-road-lowndes-county-rezoning-datacenter-site/REZ-2025-11-GLPC-Packet.pdf

Images of each page are below.

They include the relevant pages about the target zoning, M-1 (Light Manufacturing), from the Lowndes County Unified Land Development Code (ULDC).

Commercial, Office, and Institutional Zoning Districts and Industrial and Intensive Zoning Districts, 2026-06-30 –GLPC via LAKE
PDF

They include a map of the previous zoning, which was C-C near Coleman Road and R-1 east of the railroad tracks to the conservation zone next to the Withlacoochee River.

Zoning Location Map, 2026-06-30 –GLPC via LAKE
PDF

What they do not include is a map of the resulting zoning. For that, see VALORGIS:

Map: LCA Rezoning on 2025-07-07, Coleman Road –VALORGIS 2026-06-11

There is no other M-1 (Light Manufacturing) nearby. It’s all E-A (Estate Agriculture) or R-1 or R-1 (Foxborough) low-density housing, except for some C-H (Highway Commercial) to the west along Val Tech Road and to the north along North Valdosta Road.

East of the subject site it’s CON (Conservation), as it should be for the floodplain around the Withlacoochee River and Langdale Park across the river.

So this sure looks like spot zoning, which I’ve heard the county does not do.

LAKE videos of the GLPC Regular Session, 2025-06-30

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/07/videos-two-lowndes-county-rezonings-glpc-2025-06-30.html

Details of the split Planning Commission vote to recommend approval, including who voted against and what they said beforehand:

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2026/05/coleman-road-potential-datacenter-site-glpc-2025-06-30.html

According to the minutes of the June 30, 2025, GLPC meeting, “Four (4) voted in favor, three (3) opposed (Graham, J. Miller & Foreman) (4-3). Motion carried.”

Vote against Coleman Road Rezoning 2026-06-30 –GLPC via LAKE

According to those minutes, Commissioner Bailey made the motion and Commissioner Hightower seconded.

The other Planning Commissioners present were Franklin Bailey, Ed Hightower, Steve Miller (Chair), Vicki Rountree, and Tommy Willis. The Chair did not vote, so the other four voted for.

Vote for Coleman Road Rezoning 2026-06-30 –GLPC via LAKE

The Lowndes County Commission packet materials

Also obtained by LAKE through an open records request.

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/07/two-rezonings-and-a-beer-and-wine-license-lcc-packet-2025-07-07.html

That packet adds to the agenda sheet a summary of the GLPC meeting:

https://wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-30-coleman-road-lowndes-county-rezoning-datacenter-site/July-8-2025-Meeting-Packet-0010.pdf

At the GLPC meeting, the applicant spoke in support of the request, stating that they do not intend to bring any harm or incompatibility to the adjoining residences, and were in agreement with the Staff’s recommended conditions. Several neighbors spoke in opposition to the request, citing concerns about environmental impacts, the proposed buffers, additional traffic on Coleman Road and North Valdosta Road, and the possibility of hazardous material storage and pollutants. The GLPC followed the public hearing with additional questions to Staff about the allowable uses in M-1, the timelines for studies to address the environmental and engineering concerns, and clarified that a use not allowed in M-1 would require another public hearing cycle and Board approval. Ultimately, this led to a recommendation of Approval with the seven (7) Staff Conditions by a split vote of (4-3).

As near as I can tell, the rest of the County Commission board materials about this rezoning case are the same as those for the Planning Commission.

LAKE videos of the Lowndes County Commission Work Session, 2025-07-07

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/07/videos-two-rezonings-and-a-beer-and-wine-license-lcc-work-2025-07-07.html

Minutes of that Work Session:

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-07-21-packet/July-7-2025-Work-Session-Minutes.pdf

Interestingly, the approved minutes don’t seem to be indexed in the county’s online archives:

https://www.lowndescounty.com/archive.aspx

LAKE videos of the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session, 2025-07-08

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/blog/2025/07/videos-two-rezonings-and-a-beer-and-wine-license-lcc-regular-2025-07-08.html

They unanimously approved it.

Vote Lca Coleman Road Rezoning Datacenter Site 2025-07-08 –LCC via LAKE

Only Commissioners Scott Orenstein, Mark Wisenbaker, and Demarcus Marshall voted. Chairman Bill Slaughter does not vote except to resolve a tie. Vice Chairperson Joyce Evans and Commissioner Michael Smith were absent.

Commissioner Orenstein made the motion and Commissioner Marshall seconded.

Minutes of that County Commission Regular Session:

http://www.l-a-k-e.org/govt/loco/2025-07-21-packet/July-8-2025-Regular-Session-Minutes.pdf

https://www.lowndescounty.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/923

Links to all these materials are in here:

https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters/#loco

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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