After hours of chants, signs, and packed public comment, officials in Marietta, Georgia, hit pause on a controversial rezoning proposal tied to a planned data center development on Powers Ferry Place that many residents said could reshape their neighborhood for the worse.
The decision also points to a broader debate happening nationwide as cities weigh the economic promise of data centers against concerns about pollution, infrastructure strain, and quality of life.
What happened?
On Wednesday, Marietta leaders postponed a decision on a rezoning application for a planned data-center development at Powers Ferry Place, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The developers were asking to rezone almost 11 acres for what they called a transmission-of-information facility.
Public opposition was intense. Dozens of residents showed up at and around City Hall, filling the council chamber and gathering outside with signs and chants against the plan…