[10:33] meeting to order. Sorry I'm a little bit
[10:35] late. Uh
[10:38] meetings galore, I'm telling you. Uh
[10:41] welcome to the uh [snorts]
[10:46] board meeting uh September the 8th. Uh,
[10:50] welcome all elected officials and
[10:52] invited guests. And I'm trying to see if
[10:55] there's any elected officials. Y'all
[10:57] help me see any.
[11:00] I don't. Invited guest. Uh, J. Uh, Evans
[11:05] Hart is not here. Uh, on your phones and
[11:09] electronic advice uh devices, if you
[11:11] would put them on silent uh so it won't
[11:14] interrupt the meeting. And then uh I'll
[11:17] have the marshall bring me my sheet up.
[11:23] Thank you, buddy.
[11:29] Mr. Jason Kathy, how are you, buddy?
[11:33] You know, I I appreciate all the
[11:35] encouragement that you send uh to us,
[11:37] especially me and all the things that
[11:40] are going on with the Fellowship of
[11:41] Christian Athletes and uh all the
[11:44] success. Maybe you can tell us about
[11:46] that. So, we'll take a little bit stand
[11:49] up to the podium and uh I'm just going
[11:51] to tell you a little thing. I've been
[11:53] knowing Jason for a pretty good while
[11:55] and very active with the fellowship of
[11:57] Christian Athletes and uh uh how long
[12:00] how long you been serving in that
[12:01] capacity?
[12:02] » Year seven.
[12:03] » Year seven missionary with sir.
[12:06] » Yep. Uh married to Robin, got three
[12:10] children. Uh older children, 22, 16, and
[12:13] 14. How do you keep girls or boys?
[12:16] » Older two girls and the boys the
[12:17] youngest. Yes, sir.
[12:19] » Uh he loves uh ministry. He loves his
[12:23] family. He loves playing the guitar and
[12:25] singing. Are you going to sing for us
[12:26] today?
[12:27] » Not today.
[12:28] » Not today.
[12:28] » I think y'all got too many items on the
[12:30] agenda.
[12:31] » I'm telling you. Well, I'm going to get
[12:33] everybody to stand. Open us up. Jason in
[12:35] prayer. And also, uh
[12:40] I guess you're doing the pledge, too.
[12:43] Yes. Nope. The colors are he's fallen,
[12:46] right? They're out there. Okay. Just do
[12:48] the prayer, buddy.
[12:51] Dear gracious heavenly father, we we
[12:53] call on you today. Um the word
[12:55] invocation is like we're invoking you as
[12:58] the higher power. Lord, I do lift up all
[13:00] of our elected officials, our public
[13:03] servants. Lord, my mind specifically
[13:05] goes to the book of James where you said
[13:08] if we ask for wisdom in faith, then
[13:11] you'll pour it out generously, Lord. So,
[13:13] we're going to thank you in advance for
[13:15] that wisdom today. We're we're calling
[13:17] on you uh in the decisions that are made
[13:20] having to do with policy and all these
[13:23] items on the agenda and we know there's
[13:25] debate, Lord, but at the end of the day,
[13:26] Lord, we believe that you are sovereign
[13:28] and that you don't make any mistakes,
[13:29] Lord. So, we just ask that your will
[13:31] would be done today. Uh we lift up these
[13:33] young people today that are going to be
[13:35] bringing forward our colors and we do
[13:37] all this in Jesus name. Amen.
[13:39] » Amen. Y'all remain standing. We'll have
[13:41] the colors presented by East Paul High
[13:44] School. Attention
[13:47] forward carry
[13:53] forward. March
[14:05] color guard
[14:09] left ace.
[14:12] Sir, Eastporting High School is
[14:14] requesting permission to post the
[14:15] colors. Sir,
[14:16] » You got it, buddy.
[14:17] » Post.
[14:35] Present arms.
[14:39] Please show me the reciting the pledge
[14:41] of allegiance.
[14:42] I pledge algiance to the flag of the
[14:45] United States of America and to the
[14:48] republic for which it stands. One nation
[14:52] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[14:56] justice for all.
[14:58] Order arms.
[15:03] Post
[15:11] ready. Face
[15:14] forward. March.
[15:20] [applause] Good job, ladies.
[15:31] Next, uh,
[15:34] [cough and clears throat] we have the,
[15:35] uh, adopt the the minutes from August
[15:37] the 25th, 2026 work session and August
[15:41] the 25th on the board meeting minutes.
[15:44] Uh, hope you've reviewed those. So, I
[15:46] need a motion to adopt those minutes.
[15:50] Motion to adopt the board meeting
[15:53] minutes of August 25,
[15:56] 2026.
[15:57] » Miss Kaker, is there a second?
[16:00] » Second.
[16:01] » Is that you, Mr. Dunn?
[16:02] » Yes, sir.
[16:03] » Okay. Uh, all in favor of up signify by
[16:07] uplifted hand.
[16:10] Uh, no announcements that I know of at
[16:12] this time. Invited guests. There's none.
[16:15] Uh, bid awards. Uh the first one is to
[16:18] approve the purchase to the lowest
[16:20] responsive quote that's Tri County
[16:22] Uplifters for the final uplifting of 20
[16:26] police patrol vehicles in the amount of
[16:29] $395,4460.
[16:34] Funding for this project will be from
[16:36] Splass.
[16:37] Do I have a motion to approve?
[16:41] » Motion to approve.
[16:42] » Thank you, Mr. Dunn. Is there a second?
[16:44] Second,
[16:45] » Miss Galloway. All in favor signify by
[16:48] that lifted hand.
[16:52] [cough] Excuse me.
[16:55] Next is to authorize Pauling County Fire
[16:58] Rescue to uh proceed with the purchase
[17:01] of four Ford Maverick vehicles from the
[17:05] Hardy family Ford through the state of
[17:08] Georgia contract for a total uh vehicle
[17:12] purchase price of $127,360
[17:17] uh0
[17:18] with the remaining of the the $12,640
[17:24] uh of the approved $140,000
[17:29] and that's in FY2027
[17:32] project uh allocation
[17:34] utilized for department lettering and
[17:38] the warning lights funding for this
[17:40] project will be allocated from SPLS. I
[17:44] have a call for a motion to approve.
[17:47] » Motion to approve.
[17:49] » Miss Kaker, is there a second?
[17:52] Second, Mr. Snyder. All in favor signify
[17:55] with uplifted hand.
[18:00] [snorts]
[18:01] At this time, we don't have any reports
[18:04] uh from committees or departments that
[18:06] I'm aware of. Public participation on
[18:09] agenda items. I think we do have one and
[18:12] that's Joel Larkin.
[18:14] If you'll come up to the podium, Mr.
[18:17] Larkin and state your name and
[18:21] you know the routine don't you?
[18:24] » Good afternoon. My name is Joel Larkin.
[18:26] I'm with the firm Sams Larkin and Huff
[18:27] and Marietta. I appreciate being here
[18:29] today. I wanted to comment on two
[18:31] things. Number one, could you add me to
[18:33] the Maverick order?
[18:35] » Do what?
[18:36] » The Ford Maverick. Could you put one on
[18:37] there for me? No,
[18:39] » I will.
[18:40] » Um I'm pleased to represent the
[18:43] applicant on item nine. It's a request
[18:45] to change the zoning conditions. Uh, and
[18:48] I'm mainly here to respond to any
[18:50] questions you have, particularly you,
[18:51] Mr. Chairman, because I know you missed
[18:52] the planning commission meeting. So, if
[18:55] there's any more any questions that the
[18:56] board has or any information that you
[18:59] need, we're here ready to respond to it
[19:01] and provide it to you. Thank you.
[19:07] » I Are there any questions from the board
[19:10] or comments?
[19:12] Okay. Thank you.
[19:14] uh
[19:17] public participation on agenda items.
[19:20] There are uh there's one of those I
[19:24] don't
[19:26] » Huh?
[19:26] » We just
[19:34] » Oh, that's what I was doing. Uh I
[19:37] thought that was what I was doing. Uh
[19:41] there's actually one uh is uh the
[19:44] disposal of the vehicles. Uh I need a
[19:46] motion to approve.
[19:49] » Motion to approve.
[19:51] » Uh Miss Galloway, is there a second?
[19:54] » Second,
[19:55] » Miss Kaker. All in favor signify with
[19:57] uplifted hand.
[20:00] Okay.
[20:02] No old business at this time. Uh new
[20:05] business. Uh first is uh action to adopt
[20:08] resolution 2026-37
[20:11] authorizing the uh submission of
[20:14] congestion mitigation and the air
[20:17] quality program grant uh application to
[20:21] the Georgia Department of Transportation
[20:23] for the purpose of the project of the
[20:25] Cedar Crest road improvement project
[20:27] from Harmony uh Grove Church Road to
[20:31] Cobb County line. That's uh P I 00013700
[20:37] 0 uh located in post one and also in
[20:40] post 4. Uh and the gold mine road which
[20:44] is at state route 101 intersection
[20:46] improvement project. That's the PI
[20:49] 0019801
[20:53] located in post 2. Uh I'll call for a
[20:57] motion.
[20:59] » Motion to approve.
[21:01] » Mr. are done. Is there a second?
[21:03] » Second. [clears throat]
[21:04] » Excuse me,
[21:05] » Mr. Snder. All in favor signify with the
[21:08] uplifted hand.
[21:12] [snorts]
[21:12] » Next is action to adopt resolution
[21:14] 2026-38
[21:17] confirming the executive session for the
[21:19] purpose of real estate litigation uh and
[21:22] litigation. Uh I'll call for a motion.
[21:27] » Motion to approve.
[21:28] » Mr. Snyder. Is there a second? Second,
[21:31] » Miss Galloway. All in favor signify with
[21:33] uplifted hand.
[21:40] » All right. Next, we'll move into the
[21:42] Pauling County Planning uh commission
[21:44] meeting uh which was in their
[21:47] recommendations on August the 25th and
[21:50] also September the 8th. The first one is
[21:54] uh action to adopt uh ordinance 20 uh
[21:58] 26-07 text amendment amending title one
[22:02] admin uh administration and title two
[22:06] zoning for the unified development
[22:09] ordinance which is a UDO for Paulen
[22:11] County Georgia uh and for other
[22:14] purposes. I'll call for a motion.
[22:17] » Motion to approve.
[22:20] » Miss Galloway. Is there a second?
[22:23] » Second,
[22:24] » Miss Kaker, all in favor signify with
[22:26] uplifted hand.
[22:30] Next is uh number eight, which is the
[22:32] 2026-01
[22:35] TAA application by Green Leaf
[22:38] Investments Partners, uh L130 LLC. Mark
[22:43] uh uh Buck Anonan uh requesting a text
[22:49] amendment to the Unified Development
[22:52] Direct Industrial District Section
[22:55] 210-240
[22:57] uh
[22:59] 02 permitting use to allow the following
[23:03] usage as permitted by Wright Health and
[23:07] Fitness uh facilities including the
[23:09] health club, fitness center, gymnasium,
[23:12] and the fitness uh instructor uh studio
[23:16] uh of the UDO unified development uh
[23:19] ordinance. Approval on this text uh
[23:22] amendment would add the following uh
[23:25] text. Uh do I need to read those text?
[23:29] » Yes.
[23:31] » Uh that's the RR the health and fitness
[23:33] facilities including the health club
[23:36] fitness center gymnasium and the fitness
[23:39] and structure studio. Recommendation on
[23:42] this was approved uh 70 to zero and I'll
[23:46] call for a motion from the board.
[23:49] » Motion to approve.
[23:50] » Mr. Dunn, is there a second?
[23:52] » Second.
[23:53] » Miss Galloway. Uh all in favor signify
[23:57] by the uplifted hand.
[24:05] Next is uh number nine which is a
[24:08] 2026-06-spa
[24:13] application for Joel L. Larkin uh Sam's
[24:16] Larkin and Huff LLC
[24:19] uh requesting to amend a zoning uh
[24:23] condition number nine from prior
[24:25] reszoning application the 2020-16-Z
[24:30] which limits the hours of operation on
[24:33] the property from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Uh
[24:38] this uh applicant uh proposed hours of
[24:43] operations from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
[24:46] Property is located in Lin Lot 101,
[24:49] District 1, Section 3, north side of uh
[24:54] Ridge Road and east side of Vaughn Road.
[24:57] That address is 4281
[25:00] Ridge Road and it's in post three.
[25:13] Motion to approve.
[25:15] » I ain't calling for it yet, but I was
[25:17] fixing to.
[25:17] » Sorry. [laughter]
[25:20] » Oh, that's great. Sandy, is there a
[25:22] second? Mr.
[25:22] » Chair, if you would just read I think
[25:25] the stipulation recommendation
[25:27] from the planning commission. I think if
[25:31] I can.
[25:34] » Okay, I'm good. Second.
[25:36] » Okay.
[25:38] Uh,
[25:40] so we we had a motion from Miss Kaker.
[25:43] Is there a second?
[25:46] » Second.
[25:48] » All in favor signify with uplifted head.
[25:52] » Okay.
[25:54] » Uh, Mr. Chair,
[25:55] » Oh, I got to read the recommendation.
[25:57] » You call for opposition.
[25:59] » Call for opposition. Yeah.
[26:00] » Did you have
[26:02] » I don't think you called for opposition
[26:04] on that vote.
[26:05] I w I need to call for opposition.
[26:07] » I believe you do. Yes.
[26:08] » Then I will.
[26:09] » Yes, sir. Thank you.
[26:10] » Uh is there any opposition on the number
[26:13] uh on this last one?
[26:15] » Yes.
[26:17] » Yes. You got one.
[26:21] » Oh, voting against it.
[26:22] » I thought you I thought I saw a hand.
[26:25] All right. So, uh what was that? What
[26:29] was that? Uh what was it? You wrote it
[26:31] down. Uh the the vote is approval at 41.
[26:35] » 41.
[26:36] » May I ask what the motion was? I'm not
[26:38] clear.
[26:39] » The motion was
[26:45] » Turn it over. The motion was to approve
[26:49] the applicant hour of operations from
[26:52] 500 a.m. to 11 p.m.
[26:54] » Thank you.
[26:57] » And I think that's the same as all the
[26:59] surrounding hours. Is that correct?
[27:03] It's the way I understood it.
[27:04] » I believe so.
[27:09] [clears throat]
[27:10] » Which one am I on?
[27:14] Uh, next is a 2026-02
[27:17] uh SPSA application by Hickory Creek uh
[27:22] Homeowners Association Incorporated
[27:24] requesting
[27:27] a revision of the PRD planning
[27:30] residential development site plan from
[27:32] resoning case 2004
[27:35] uh-15-Z.
[27:37] The applicant uh uh uh proposed to
[27:43] construct a small community amendment uh
[27:46] amenity on approximately 1.63 63 acres
[27:50] of designated green space. Property is
[27:53] located in Lin lot 892
[27:57] uh district 3 section three uh west side
[28:00] of the Sandy Glenn and Horththone Drive
[28:04] intersection and it's located in post 4
[28:07] and there are four stipula uh five
[28:10] stipulations actually. Uh I call for a
[28:14] motion
[28:21] No,
[28:21] » I'm going to make a motion for denial.
[28:23] » Okay. Uh, is there a second?
[28:27] » Second.
[28:28] » Mr. Dunn, all in favor of signify by the
[28:31] lifted hand.
[28:33] And I didn't say, but the the
[28:35] recommendation from planning is on. It
[28:37] was denial 70 to zero.
[28:40] Uh, next is the 2026-04-C
[28:46] [clears throat]
[28:47] application by
[28:50] uh Ryan uh Lawrence requesting to
[28:53] reszone 3.15 acres from R2
[28:57] uh suburban residential district to I1
[29:01] which is light industrial district for
[29:03] the construction business including a
[29:06] proposed storage yard for lumber
[29:09] skidsters and other industrial products.
[29:13] Application is also requesting a
[29:16] variance to reduce buffer along the
[29:18] northern the north property line from
[29:21] 50t to 25 ft. Property is located in
[29:25] land lot 1041
[29:27] district 2 section 3 west
[29:34] side of the Hyram Douglasville Highway
[29:36] SR92
[29:38] uh south of Bill Karuth Parkway. That
[29:41] address is 3166 Hyram Douglasville uh
[29:45] highway and that is in post three. There
[29:50] are four stipulations on this uh project
[29:53] and the
[29:55] uh recommendation from planning and
[29:57] zoning was approve approval of five to
[30:02] zero. So I'll call for a motion.
[30:07] » Motion to approve with all the
[30:09] stipulations.
[30:11] » Miss Galloway, is there a second?
[30:13] » Second.
[30:15] » Miss Kaker. All in favor signify with
[30:18] uplifted hand.
[30:24] Okay, that
[30:25] » Mr. Chair, if I may, excuse me, I want
[30:28] to just for clarification sake, I want
[30:30] to go back to the previously approved
[30:33] item number nine.
[30:36] And I want to make sure the record is
[30:38] clear.
[30:40] When the chairman read this item,
[30:43] uh, it was for the
[30:46] reason the applicant was wanting hours
[30:49] of operations from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00
[30:52] p.m. That was uh what the applicant
[30:55] requested. That's what that was the
[30:58] motion that was approved by the board of
[31:00] commissioners. There was a stipulation
[31:03] from the planning commission uh which is
[31:07] number nine which is uh that says owner
[31:10] and developer agrees to limit store
[31:12] hours from 5 to 10 Sunday through
[31:15] Thursday and from 5 to 11 Friday through
[31:19] Saturday. That particular stipulation
[31:21] was not approved. What was approved is
[31:24] the hours from 5 to 11 7 days a week.
[31:29] And I just wanted to make sure that that
[31:30] is the will and intention of the board.
[31:35] And if that's correct, then there's no
[31:37] reason to talk about it any further. I'm
[31:40] getting nods around the board that
[31:41] that's correct. Thank you.
[31:45] » Okay. Thank you for that update. Uh
[31:48] conclusion of regular business. We do
[31:50] have public participation on non-aggenda
[31:52] items and uh we have I think six uh
[31:56] citizens that's going to talk and the
[31:58] first one will be at the podium that
[32:01] would be Michelle Pratner is it Prattner
[32:05] and let me see and it's on you can tell
[32:08] us when you come up state your name and
[32:11] also what you're going to be speaking on
[32:14] uh and then the next in the back in the
[32:16] uh uh next in line will be uh uh Mr. J.
[32:22] No. Yeah, Mr. James Bender. Where's he
[32:25] at? And get in that uh see that there it
[32:29] says uh on deck. You can jump right in
[32:32] there. Okay.
[32:34] » Okay. So, um I'm Michelle Prather. I'm
[32:37] I'm going to be speaking on um getting
[32:40] an ordinance changed for outdoor storage
[32:42] units. Um, and I'm here today to ask
[32:45] this board to re-examine one restriction
[32:48] in our unified development
[32:50] ordinance. The requirement that outdoor
[32:53] storage of boats, RVs, campers, and
[32:55] personal trailers must be tied to a
[32:58] fully constructed steel self storage
[33:01] facility. This rule creates an
[33:03] unnecessary and costly barrier. It
[33:06] forces landowners to build commercial
[33:08] storage buildings simply to provide
[33:11] outdoor parking per for personal
[33:13] recreational vehicles. Many residents
[33:16] own these vehicles but cannot keep them
[33:18] at home because of HOA restrictions.
[33:21] Yet, the current ordinance makes it
[33:22] extremely difficult for private property
[33:24] owners to help meet that need in a low
[33:27] impact way. We can protect the county's
[33:30] character without requiring buildings.
[33:32] Strong visual screening, including
[33:34] mature tree buffers and privacy fencing,
[33:38] can keep our outdoor storage completely
[33:40] hidden from roads and neighborhooding
[33:43] neighborhooding properties. Heavy
[33:45] commercial um trucks can still be
[33:48] prohibited. The question is not whether
[33:51] this use should be regulated. It is
[33:53] whether um the allow only option must
[33:58] include a storage building. I
[34:00] respectfully urge this board to direct
[34:02] staff to prepare a text amendment that
[34:04] creates a clear conditional path for
[34:06] standalone heavily screened outdoor
[34:08] storage of personal recreational
[34:10] vehicles on appropriately sized
[34:13] properties. This would give reasonable
[34:15] land owners a practical option while
[34:18] still protecting the appearance and
[34:20] character of our community. Thank you
[34:22] for your time and consideration.
[34:24] » Thank you, Michelle. Appreciate it. Uh
[34:27] uh Mr. Bender will be next on data
[34:30] centers and if Connie Rex straw will get
[34:32] in the uh next in line.
[34:37] You ready? My name is James Bender. I
[34:39] work in the fiber optic industry
[34:40] probably about 20 years. And I see where
[34:42] you say there's no data center going in
[34:44] at Cole Lake Road. The only problem I
[34:46] have with that is I'm watching them put
[34:48] a six pack of conduit in down Dallas
[34:51] Highway into Dallas right by the CVS.
[34:54] They cost between 50,000 and $100,000 a
[34:57] mile to install. And you're telling me
[35:00] no data centers? Nobody's doing that on
[35:03] a maybe. I mean, that's almost a $2
[35:05] million investment. I go further in my
[35:08] connections. Look at the 811 dig
[35:10] tickets. Excel constructions
[35:13] putting in fiber optics for a data
[35:15] center. So I mean somebody needs to
[35:18] explain it to me. Either you're not
[35:19] going to do it or you are going to do
[35:21] it. You're lying to them or you're lying
[35:22] to us. I need to know.
[35:26] That's what I want to know cuz they're
[35:27] not putting that in for giggles. I've
[35:30] done this for 20 years. If they're
[35:33] slamming that much conduit in the
[35:34] ground, that's almost 6,000 fibers they
[35:37] can put in there. do the same amount of
[35:39] work as two million copper phone lines?
[35:43] I mean, would you like to explain it to
[35:46] me? I'd love to know.
[35:48] » I know that Greystone's putting in fiber
[35:50] through the whole
[35:50] » That ain't Greystone. That's Zo.
[35:52] » I know I'm like the back of my hand. And
[35:54] they don't do nothing but high-end
[35:56] massive data. CNN, Bank of America. They
[36:00] don't offer residential service. And the
[36:02] fact that you would just tell me
[36:03] Greystone,
[36:05] » Well, they work with another company.
[36:07] They don't work with Zale. I promise you
[36:08] that. 20 years. I mean, so the fact that
[36:12] you just tried to pawn that off on me,
[36:14] come on.
[36:16] I just told you I' been doing this for
[36:18] 20 years. I've seen it. And the problem
[36:21] you're going to have is it's not just
[36:23] going to be them. Then some other
[36:24] company's going to come in. T-Mobile,
[36:26] Crown Castle, they're going to want to
[36:29] run fiber there. You're not going to
[36:30] have any room in the ground for your own
[36:32] utilities. I see it every day.
[36:35] So, I mean, I know you put a moratorium
[36:37] on it, but that's only on new permits,
[36:40] not old permits.
[36:42] I mean, they're a blight. I've been to
[36:44] them. I mean, you can get in a prison
[36:47] easier than you can get in a data center
[36:48] to look at it. I mean, I'm not talking
[36:51] chain link fence. I'm talking concrete
[36:53] walls with razor wire, their own fire
[36:56] department, their own security force.
[36:58] They might employ 40 people. They're not
[37:00] going to bring jobs. They're not going
[37:02] to bring business to the community.
[37:05] They're just going to blight the land.
[37:07] That's all they're going to do. And I
[37:09] know, I've seen it. I've been there. I
[37:11] look at them every day. And then, God
[37:14] forbid somebody hits that fiber in the
[37:15] ground. Then you've got the whole road
[37:18] tore up for two or three days. It's all
[37:20] I got to say. But I promise you this. If
[37:23] it goes in, I'll make sure none of y'all
[37:25] get reelected. I will petition campaign
[37:29] for anybody against you, even if it's a
[37:31] Democrat.
[37:32] » Well, thank you. [applause]
[37:39] » Uh, Miss Rexaw,
[37:42] » I'm going to do one correction on my
[37:44] name. My maiden name is Rake Straw.
[37:45] Connie Raikstraw. I'm now Ellis, but
[37:47] Connie Raikstraw Ellis. And I first off,
[37:50] I want to wish you a good afternoon. I'm
[37:52] not mad at anyone, but I am mad at
[37:54] situations like many people in this
[37:56] county and what I have to say about I'm
[37:58] coming before you once again into the
[38:00] rapid push to develop these data centers
[38:02] in our county and the secrecy
[38:05] surrounding them. The people here
[38:07] deserve a voice and we never had a
[38:09] voice. Never. We are the ones that live
[38:12] here and pay the taxes that pay your
[38:14] salaries.
[38:18] Not big developers or corporations. They
[38:21] don't. They don't live here. They don't
[38:22] pay your salaries. We do. I've said it
[38:25] before and I'll say it again. As regard
[38:27] to AI and data centers, there are too
[38:30] many unknowns. You do not move this
[38:33] rapidly on something like this. And I'm
[38:35] sure you're quite aware across this
[38:37] nation, many counties and states are
[38:40] putting moratoriums. They're putting
[38:42] brakes on till they can do further
[38:44] research and put appropriate ordinances
[38:46] and regulations in place to protect
[38:49] their people. That's the wise thing to
[38:51] do here. And I also heard from a
[38:54] developer recently that has built data
[38:57] centers and he said he would not even
[38:59] put a data center in Paul County. It is
[39:01] too populated. We don't have to have one
[39:04] in our county. If we as the people
[39:06] decide to put one with the appropriate
[39:08] regulations, that's one thing. But we
[39:09] don't have to have one here. But he said
[39:11] if he were going to build a data center,
[39:13] he would put it the middle in the middle
[39:14] of it. No more. At least I'm sorry, at
[39:16] least 2 to 3,000 acres slap in the
[39:19] middle of it surrounded by trees. You
[39:20] know why? The trees are going to buffer
[39:22] the noise and the pollution that's going
[39:24] to come from these centers. We don't
[39:26] know what we're doing to our people, our
[39:27] environment by putting men like that
[39:29] like this. So, I'm going to ask you two
[39:31] things today. Number one is to extend
[39:33] the moratorum and number two is to
[39:36] repeal the teapot. You have that in your
[39:37] power as a commission to back that out.
[39:43] And before I get down from this podium,
[39:44] there are two questions I want to ask
[39:46] you. And you may not be able to answer
[39:47] them in public. And I understand if you
[39:49] can't, hopefully you can, but I would
[39:52] like an answer to me directly via email
[39:54] because I've asked it of you. And I'm
[39:55] not sure about prior or current
[39:58] permitting. But let's say we have the
[40:00] moratorum now and when it expires, do
[40:03] you plan to move forward with the
[40:04] Tidwell Road and Bethl Church Road
[40:06] project into development of a data
[40:08] center? Is that your intention at the
[40:10] expiration of the moratorum? Does anyone
[40:13] want to answer that?
[40:17] » Okay. And question number two, this
[40:20] isn't just for the board. This is for
[40:21] the entire room.
[40:23] » Well, you don't address.
[40:24] » Well, okay, but this this is this is a
[40:26] question I want you food for thought
[40:28] here. if we had a ballot put before us
[40:31] or if you did or even a questionnaire as
[40:33] a member of this county and by a raise
[40:35] of hands you can vote yes and remember
[40:39] raising your hand means yes would you
[40:41] allow a data center in your backyard. I
[40:44] want to remind you commissioners that
[40:47] this is your county your home and your
[40:50] lives as well. It's just not the people
[40:52] that are up here upset. You're infecting
[40:54] everyone in this county. And I'm asking
[40:57] you in the name of God and the people to
[41:00] do the right thing. Just do the right
[41:02] thing. Thank you.
[41:03] » We will, [applause]
[41:07] Mr. W.
[41:10] And the next will be Todd Panel if he
[41:13] can come up here and sit in the uh uh
[41:15] » I think I'm next
[41:16] » On deck.
[41:18] » I think he
[41:19] » I think you have me as next,
[41:21] » Right?
[41:22] » Ma'am, you're you are next. You saying
[41:23] Mr. Pal, come up. Be ready.
[41:26] Mr. Chairman, commissioners, and staff,
[41:29] thank you for the opportunity to speak
[41:31] this afternoon. My name is Michelle
[41:32] Wolvin. We keep coming month after month
[41:35] because you work for us. And right now,
[41:37] we feel that you're not listening. And
[41:40] because we are hearing, the board
[41:41] remains intent on moving the Highway 92
[41:44] data center project forward.
[41:47] There is no realistic way to
[41:49] meaningfully strengthen the current
[41:50] ordinance to protect surrounding
[41:52] homeowners while keeping the developers
[41:54] committed. We are told this project is
[41:57] not going anywhere. The board wants it.
[42:00] That's exactly why I'm here. Under the
[42:02] teapot, data centers are effectively
[42:04] allowed by right specifically listed
[42:07] parcels covering roughly 995 acres. The
[42:10] developer does not need a full reszoning
[42:13] or special use permit.
[42:15] These properties were effectively
[42:17] spot-zoned. Our constitution does not
[42:20] permit government to create special
[42:22] privileges for a few at the expense of
[42:25] the many.
[42:26] Georgia law and the principles of due
[42:28] process and equal protection under both
[42:30] the Georgia and United States
[42:32] Constitution reject singling out
[42:34] discrete tracks for preferential
[42:37] treatment.
[42:39] Spot zoning that favors a particular
[42:41] project without a clear relation to the
[42:43] broader public health, safety, and
[42:46] welfare is unconstitutional.
[42:49] Naming specific parcels and granting
[42:52] them a use unavailable to surrounding
[42:54] property is precisely the special
[42:56] treatment the Constitution forbids.
[43:00] Neighboring owners were denied the same
[43:02] notice and opportunity to be heard that
[43:04] a conventional resoning requires. That's
[43:07] a preferential treatment and it cannot
[43:09] stand.
[43:11] Why is it acceptable to tell homeowners
[43:13] they can just sell out to the
[43:14] developers?
[43:16] That is not an answer. That is a
[43:18] dismissal of people who built their
[43:20] entire lives here. Families should not
[43:22] be forced to abandon their homes and
[43:24] neighborhoods they invested in simply so
[43:26] a flawed project can expand.
[43:30] Telling people their only option to sell
[43:32] is pressure and not justice.
[43:35] This raises a serious question about the
[43:37] advice the board received. Our county
[43:40] attorneys are charged with giving sound
[43:42] legal counsel. They know the
[43:43] consequences of advancing major land use
[43:46] changes with limited public notice. They
[43:49] lived through the long
[43:52] I'm sorry.
[43:55] They lived through the long airport
[43:56] industrialization controversy. If the
[43:59] county attorneys warn you this ordinance
[44:01] would face constitutional challenge and
[44:03] you proceeded anyway, the public
[44:06] deserves to know why.
[44:08] The lack of proper notice, the
[44:10] appearance of preferential treatment,
[44:12] and the spot zoning problems were all
[44:14] foreseeable.
[44:15] The board cannot claim to be studying
[44:17] the issue while also signaling that this
[44:20] particular project will proceed and that
[44:22] the ordinance cannot be strengthened
[44:24] without losing the developer. Because
[44:26] the teapod was adopted through a process
[44:28] that violates due process and equal pro
[44:31] protection under the law and because it
[44:33] functions as unconstitutional spot
[44:35] zoning. It is not merely flawed, it's
[44:37] invalid.
[44:39] An ordinance that cannot withstand
[44:42] constitutional scrutiny cannot be
[44:45] patched into compliance. The only lawful
[44:48] remedy is complete repeal.
[44:51] The board has both the authority and the
[44:55] duty to repeal it. Anything less leaves
[44:58] in place a framework that treats some
[45:00] owners differently and denies them the
[45:02] process the constitution requires. We do
[45:05] not want to live in an AI surveillance
[45:07] state or under a digital currency
[45:08] controlled by these facilities. Do you
[45:11] want your do you want that for your
[45:13] children and your grandchildren? This is
[45:15] not a legal issue. It is a question of
[45:17] whether we will treat our neighbors as
[45:19] the law and the faith requires. Many of
[45:22] you profess the Christian faith as do I.
[45:25] Scripture is clear. Romans 13:9 tells us
[45:29] the commandments are summed up in the
[45:31] single rule. Love your neighbor as
[45:33] yourself.
[45:35] Galatians 5:14 says the entire law is
[45:38] fulfilled in that same command. Loving
[45:40] your neighbor means protecting the
[45:42] homes, the peace, and the rightful
[45:44] expectations of the families who live
[45:46] next to these parcels, not creating
[45:48] special rules that pressure them to sell
[45:50] or that privilege one developer over
[45:53] equal treatment for everyone.
[45:55] It means refusing to sacrifice the many
[45:59] for the preferences of the few. If we
[46:03] truly love our neighbors, we will not
[46:05] allow a constitutionally flawed process
[46:07] to stand. Will this board choose to love
[46:10] its neighbors by treating every property
[46:12] owner equally under the law?
[46:15] Will you protect the families who built
[46:17] their lives here or force them to sell
[46:20] so a favored project can expand?
[46:23] » Will you stand for the Constitution
[46:26] or defend special privileges for a few?
[46:29] » Thank you.
[46:30] » Thank you, Miss Wen. [applause]
[46:33] Next is Miss uh Mr. Panel on data
[46:37] centers and Richard Chappelle will be
[46:40] next in the
[46:48] » Good afternoon commissioners.
[46:51] I think the last two speakers summed
[46:53] everything up for the most part. But I
[46:56] will tell you this, over the last three
[46:58] or four months,
[47:00] everything that I've dug into and
[47:02] everything that the folks out here and
[47:04] in the community have asked for open
[47:06] records and sent to me without me
[47:09] asking.
[47:12] There's not a whole lot in the open
[47:14] records that tell us that there's been a
[47:17] whole lot of work and due diligence and
[47:19] research in this event.
[47:22] Not through the open records doesn't say
[47:24] it. Then through conversations that I've
[47:27] had with maybe commissioners, staff, and
[47:31] different people,
[47:33] private conversations that we've talked
[47:35] about, they've talked about different
[47:37] things. Some of them said one of them
[47:39] one time I asked I said hey when did
[47:42] y'all start this in January of 25 and
[47:44] they said no started it in March. I
[47:46] think it was March. I'm pretty sure it
[47:48] was March. Then I was told May of 25. So
[47:54] March to August when it was approved is
[47:57] five months. May is three months. So,
[48:01] not a whole lot of time and effort and
[48:04] research. In my view, according to what
[48:07] I've heard from some of y'all and from
[48:10] staff and from the open records, does
[48:14] not show a whole lot of research has
[48:17] been done.
[48:18] The folks in the county have brought you
[48:21] all kind of things. And I know people
[48:22] talk about the environment and they talk
[48:24] about all kind of different things, but
[48:27] they they brought you true stats, real
[48:30] stuff. And I know there's stuff out
[48:32] there on YouTube. I get that, but they
[48:34] brought you great information.
[48:37] Now, it's also been told, and I've heard
[48:40] it, that, hey, all you had to do was
[48:44] look in the paper. Y'all know what was
[48:46] put in the paper. And that's not true.
[48:49] Not for the average citizen. Not for the
[48:51] above average citizen, not for anybody
[48:53] would have known what you were doing and
[48:56] where you were doing it.
[48:58] They've also been said, some comments
[49:00] have also been made said, hey, they
[49:03] could have bought the property.
[49:06] The owners of the property bought the
[49:08] property zoned the way it was zoned
[49:10] around the people that live there. And
[49:12] that's what we know is that zoning. When
[49:15] something gets reszoned, it's all about
[49:17] the people that live around it, not
[49:19] about the land owner. It's not. I bought
[49:23] my place and plan to live there forever.
[49:26] Julie and I fostered kids for a lot of
[49:29] years, almost 17 different boys, helped
[49:33] raise them, and adopted two, and my
[49:35] family plans to stay on my property.
[49:39] So, we want to talk about the facts.
[49:42] I shouldn't have to go to bed at night.
[49:46] These people shouldn't have to go to bed
[49:47] at night. Nobody in our community should
[49:50] have to go to bed at night and wonder
[49:52] what's being done in the newspaper.
[49:55] It shouldn't happen like that. There
[49:57] should be reasonzoning. There should be
[49:59] signs up. There should be a every piece
[50:02] of property in the county should be
[50:03] reszoned if it's going to be reszoned
[50:07] that specific property, not go and do a
[50:11] blanket overlay like what y'all have
[50:12] done. And then I could get into a lot of
[50:16] things
[50:17] and I won't mention names,
[50:20] but did y'all hire Brandon Bowen as an
[50:23] attorney to work on this project?
[50:27] Because the the emails that the open
[50:29] record emails
[50:32] indicate that y'all hired Brandon Bowman
[50:37] and he went to what was called the
[50:39] enduser
[50:41] and made sure that he brought back the
[50:43] information
[50:45] to you all
[50:47] to get you all to do what he needed
[50:50] done. And when I look at the open
[50:53] records, it seems as everybody, the
[50:56] developer, the land owner, this attorney
[50:59] from Carterville, everybody knew about
[51:01] what was going on except for the
[51:03] citizens.
[51:05] And I'm going to end it with this.
[51:09] Y'all have got to extend the moratorum
[51:13] March 31st of next year minimum.
[51:17] If you just let that moratorum ride and
[51:20] January 1 comes while everybody's at
[51:23] home and on vacation, including you all,
[51:26] what's going to happen on January 4th?
[51:31] You going to have a called meeting and
[51:33] fix it? Y'all can fix this right now. My
[51:37] family and these families in this
[51:39] county, they all deserve you to fix it.
[51:42] Extend the moratorum because you're
[51:44] going to be caught in trouble if you
[51:46] don't. Extend the morator.
[51:49] » Thank you so much and have a great day.
[51:52] [cheering]
[51:53] [applause]
[51:57] » Chappelle. [applause]
[52:05] Good afternoon. My name is Richard
[52:07] Chappelle. I'm a resident of Pauling
[52:09] County. Uh I live off of Brownsville and
[52:12] Ronald Drive, very close to where you
[52:14] have this data center.
[52:16] I I'm going to I understand how I sound.
[52:19] I'm not an elected official, but I am a
[52:22] civil servant and I'm going to speak
[52:23] civil servant to civil servant. So, if I
[52:25] sound all crazy, it don't take it
[52:27] personally.
[52:29] [sighs] These data centers, this isn't
[52:31] the normal kind of data center. A
[52:33] regular data center for internet, that
[52:35] kind of thing, that's about the size of
[52:36] an Exxon gas station. This is a hypers
[52:38] scale data center that uses more power
[52:40] than the entire county. And when you
[52:44] when you have that energy, when it comes
[52:47] from energy to electricity, you have
[52:49] basically you have sound, you have
[52:51] light, you have heat. And the amount
[52:53] that that's going to generate that close
[52:55] to people's homes, 100 foot barrier is
[52:57] not going to stop that. You know, you're
[53:00] already seeing in Texas and in Oregon,
[53:02] they have brownouts, they have power
[53:04] outages, and a brown out, I don't know
[53:07] about you, you guys can see my salary
[53:09] because I'm a state employee. I can't
[53:11] afford to just continuously replace my
[53:14] equipment or my utilities because of
[53:16] brownouts.
[53:19] And this this stuff that they're talking
[53:22] about about China, it it's not competing
[53:25] with China. These companies are
[53:26] competing with other AI companies and
[53:29] their profits.
[53:31] [clears throat] As one company runs out
[53:33] of money, it borrows money from another
[53:35] AI company. Nvidia,
[53:37] all of these companies. And I understand
[53:39] that this is kind of dork level stuff,
[53:41] but you know, this is what I specialize
[53:42] in. This is what y'all's tax money goes
[53:44] to make me be good at. They've got this
[53:47] circle of like buying and selling and
[53:50] profiting off their own product. But
[53:52] that that circle doesn't include us. I
[53:55] mean, this what they're doing is
[53:56] basically Enron on a massive level. And
[53:59] we're going to be stuck with the
[54:00] consequences.
[54:02] I mean, you're already seeing that with
[54:03] some of these places that they the air
[54:05] pollution that they're bringing in from
[54:07] diesel, depending on how they that goes
[54:10] in the air that doesn't just stay there.
[54:12] That comes down in the form of acid
[54:14] rain.
[54:15] Pauling County is a very green county.
[54:17] It's a county I love to live in. I can,
[54:20] you know, I can almost be
[54:21] self-sufficient, you know, grow my own
[54:22] food, do what I need to do. Not going to
[54:25] be able to do that with that kind of
[54:26] heat, noise, acid rain, and air
[54:30] pollution. And it's not like dropping a
[54:32] bomb. It's not going to happen
[54:33] immediately. It's one of these things
[54:35] that happens over time. And you're
[54:38] already seeing in some of these other
[54:39] states once it comes in, there's no
[54:41] protection for us. There's no protection
[54:43] for the residents. You know, like this
[54:45] gentleman who came before me said, I I
[54:48] plan on pretty much dying in my home in
[54:50] Paul County. It it's great. I love it
[54:51] there. I don't want to have to live a
[54:55] couple of feet from a data center
[54:57] because
[54:59] where they have it on Tidwell Road, they
[55:00] keep trying to say it as Tidwell and 92.
[55:02] It is the entirety of Tidwell Road. And
[55:05] for anyone here, and I know gas is
[55:08] expensive, but go down Tidwell Road so
[55:10] you can just see just how large of a
[55:13] scale that this is planning on being.
[55:15] And I I'm not accusing you guys. I'm not
[55:18] going to talk crazy you guys, but I
[55:19] don't think it was explained in detail
[55:21] like this when they pitched it. You
[55:24] know, they probably just pitched it as,
[55:25] oh, it's great. It's a future. It's
[55:27] going to make all this money.
[55:29] If it's going to make all this money, if
[55:31] it's so great, why are the companies
[55:32] that are pushing it, why are their CEOs
[55:35] moving to other countries where they
[55:36] don't have data centers? They're not
[55:38] putting them in their backyards. They're
[55:39] putting in hours and they're leaving
[55:42] because they know that it's a house of
[55:44] cards.
[55:46] You know, I mean, they're trying to say
[55:48] all this good stuff, but you know,
[55:50] they're getting our power. They're
[55:52] getting our water. And, you know, I hate
[55:54] to quote AC/DC here, but we're getting
[55:56] the dirty D that's done dirt cheap.
[55:59] And I want to leave you with one thing
[56:02] that has stuck with me my whole life
[56:05] because I wasn't always on the right
[56:06] side of law and technology. And it is
[56:09] Matthew 16:23. For what profit is of a
[56:12] man if he gains the whole world and
[56:14] loses his own soul? Thank you.
[56:17] [applause]
[56:22] » Thank everyone of y'all. And uh there's
[56:25] no executive session uh at this time. So
[56:29] we will adjourn. But I need a motion to
[56:32] adjourn.
[56:35] » Motion to adjurnn. Miss Caker, is there
[56:38] a second?
[56:39] » Second.
[56:40] » Mr. Snyder, all in favor signify with
[56:43] uplifted hand.
[56:45] » We are adjourned. Y'all have a great
[56:47] evening.