A plan to build a roughly 700-acre data-center campus just south of the I-20 Liberty Road exit has turned routine informational meetings into standing-room-only showdowns, with neighbors lining up on both sides ahead of a public hearing set for Tuesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse. Filed in regional documents as the “Hickman Property,” the proposal would occupy land roughly bounded by Liberty Road, Suddeth Road and I-20, putting a major technology campus near the Carroll County line. Supporters talk up new jobs and infrastructure upgrades, while opponents warn of extra strain on water supplies, higher noise levels and a permanent shift away from the county’s more rural character.
Big Plans On A Big Site
Preliminary filings describe an 11-building campus totaling about 6.22 million square feet across roughly 700 acres, a footprint larger than the Mall of Georgia, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The project has been submitted as a Development of Regional Impact, which triggers an early infrastructure review because the complex could affect multiple jurisdictions. That sheer scale is a big reason planners and residents alike have been poring over site plans and traffic, water and power studies this year.
Design, Buffers And Utilities On The Record
The DRI packet spells out building footprints, equipment yards, on-site substation areas and proposed trailheads, and it calculates roughly 6,220,000 square feet of data-center space with about 538.8 acres retained as open space. The filing lists East Village Dothan LLC as the applicant and includes civil-engineering plans, utility-easement maps and a detailed site plan that shows setbacks and buffer zones. Those technical drawings and parcel maps are part of the public DRI submission, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission DRI filing.
Neighbors Demand Answers Ahead Of Hearing
Informational sessions have been packed and, at times, tense, as neighbors press for details on decibel levels from cooling systems, impacts on the local water supply and what this all means for long-term quality of life. Developer representatives have told attendees the campus would generate roughly 200 to 300 permanent jobs and say arrangements with utilities would shield ordinary ratepayers from higher bills, claims that some locals have met with open skepticism, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. The station also notes that Douglas County already has multiple active data centers, which is part of why residents argue the decision here could set the tone for what gets built next.
Regional Pushback And What Comes Next
Concerns about the pace of data-center growth are playing out beyond Douglas County. In neighboring Carroll County, officials recently extended a 100-day moratorium on new data-center and battery-storage permits while staff draft new rules, a sign that local governments across West Georgia are slamming the brakes while they study long-term impacts. That regional backdrop, along with metro Atlanta’s status as a top U.S. data-center market, frames what Douglas County commissioners will weigh as they take public comment and consider rezoning or any conditions on the project. Residents who want to dig into the technical details can review the DRI materials ahead of the hearing, and county staff will lean on those reports to assess water, traffic and power capacity before any final vote, according to coverage and local filings cited by Gradick Communications.
How To Follow
The first official public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. at the Douglas County Courthouse, where commissioners are expected to accept in-person public comment and review staff reports on the proposal. For residents who want to review engineering drawings, buffer maps and parcel layouts before walking into the room, the DRI submission and associated site plans are available through regional review portals and county planning channels.
