Residents in Port Wentworth, Georgia, are pushing back against the city's growing openness to data centers, arguing that officials are moving too fast on projects that could permanently alter nearby neighborhoods.
WTOC reported that frustrated residents used the public comment period at a May 21 city council meeting to urge leaders to pause before moving forward with any more approvals.
A local petition is calling for a temporary moratorium on approvals for new data center development in the area. Residents brought that request directly to the council during its regular meeting, asking city leaders to slow down and take a closer look at what these facilities could mean for the community.
The concern stems from a December 2025 vote by the city council to amend Port Wentworth's zoning ordinance, thereby permitting data centers within industrial infrastructure and transportation zones.
"In our mind it felt like they opened the door to data centers to come here without doing much due diligence in any kind of significant way in my opinion," resident Patrick Donovan said, according to WTOC.
Others warned about what such facilities could mean for nearby residents.
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"This is a complex, technical, and nuisance industry that can negatively transform life for property owners adjacent to these facilities," said Jeff Beauvais, a member of coastal advocacy organization One Hundred Miles.
Donovan, who sits on the planning and zoning board, said he does not believe the council is trying to cause harm. His concern is that the city is "rushing the process" and not doing the level of review needed to understand the potential consequences.
This sentiment is growing across the country. Residents are making known their concerns about the impact of these massive structures on their quality of life and local resources. In fact, community opposition to data centers has led to the cancellation or pause of hundreds of planned projects nationwide.
Even though the May 21 meeting was not a public hearing, residents still showed up and put their concerns on the public record.
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Donovan said residents want city officials to form a short-term committee to examine how data center projects could affect Port Wentworth. That, he said, would give the city time to gather information, assess local risks, and determine whether its current zoning and approval processes are sufficient.
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