COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – The proposed data center project at White Oak Technology Park continues to raise questions and concerns from Columbia County residents.
County leaders released a statement this week addressing what they describe as the spread of false information and accusations of criminal misconduct surrounding the project.
Columbia County Manager Scott Johnson says claims of “secret backroom deals” are not true and that negotiations are following state law.
“It’s not the way we do business in Columbia County,” Johnson said.
“We have a rezoning for a large project that was one step in a multistep process.”
He says that the county cannot provide a lot of information as “don’t have a lot of information. Johnson says that “we working through this as a board, as a county, as a development authority, and really as a community.”
Residents like Alan Wyatt and his wife, who live near the proposed site in Appling, say they still feel uneasy about the project and the potential changes it could bring.
“They didn’t really give us any new information,” Wyatt said.
“We came out here because of the peace and quiet, and we’re afraid that could be replaced with noise and traffic.”
Johnson says the county is working to prevent that.
“The buffer that’s in place on the project right now has a 500-foot buffer between the data center and residential areas—that’s about a football field and a half of trees,” he explained.
“We’re also talking about a noise ordinance that wouldn’t allow sound to exceed 70 decibels.”
According to the county’s statement, the project remains in the planning phase, with no construction yet underway. Officials also emphasized that public input will continue through open meetings and updates as plans move forward.
County leaders say projects like this can bring long-term benefits—including millions in tax revenue, potential homestead exemptions, and new jobs for the community.
You can read the full statement from Commission Chair Doug Duncan here.
