COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – The City of Columbus filed a 400-page legal response Friday to a lawsuit challenging a recently adopted overlay district, arguing the zoning measure does not rezone any property or authorize construction of a data center.
The lawsuit was brought by the group Keep It Rural Muscogee County, which claims the overlay district — passed by city council last month — violates state and local zoning procedures and due process rights under state, local and federal law.
City’s core argument
The city’s central argument is that the overlay district does not rezone any specific property or change existing zoning on any parcel. City officials said the measure creates a framework that would only apply to a specific property if someone submits an application — and no application has been filed.
The city also argued that Keep It Rural Muscogee County is challenging a process that has not yet begun. No application for a data center has been filed or approved.
15 defenses outlined
The city’s response lays out 15 defenses. Among them: the overlay district does not greenlight a single data center and does not alter existing zoning on any parcel of land…