NEWNAN, GA — Coweta County commissioners approved new guidelines for data centers in a 4-to-1 vote, following months of debate and public input from a vocal crowd.

County officials say the ordinance was revised over several weeks based on feedback from commissioners. Community Development Director Ben Sewell says staff ultimately decided not to make further changes to the buffer requirement.

“Staff concluded that the majority did not see fit to further adjust the 300-foot buffer requirement,” Sewell said.

Some residents spoke in favor of the new guidelines. Coweta County resident Jason Pease told commissioners that if data centers are not built locally, foreign countries will take the lead.

“Building out the infrastructure at home is not optional, it’s essential if we want to protect our security, our economy, and our way of life,” Pease said.

Others argued the ordinance does not go far enough. Resident Jimmy Newman raised concerns about proximity to neighborhoods, saying only a football field’s distance would separate residents from large facilities. Another resident questioned changes to building height, noting an increase from 60 to 70 feet and asking how that would not stand out in residential areas.

Coweta County resident Tim Ryan questioned whether an ordinance was needed at all, suggesting each project should be evaluated individually. “I think you should take each one for its own merit because none of them are created the same,” Ryan said.

Commissioners say the county can revisit and change regulations related to size, noise, utilities, and other factors as needed. They also emphasized that each data center proposal will still be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Commissioner John Reidelbach sought to reassure residents, telling the crowd that commissioners spent hours each week studying the issue. The approved guidelines address several concerns, including utility usage by data center facilities.

WSB Radio’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story.