Bessemer Planning Commission Recommends Rezoning 914 Acres for Massive Data Center

The expanded footprint of the proposed 'Project Marvel' data center campus raises concerns from local residents about environmental impact and infrastructure demands.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The Bessemer Planning and Zoning Commission has voted to recommend rezoning an additional 914 acres from agricultural to light industrial use, significantly expanding the footprint of the proposed 'Project Marvel' data center campus. The updated plan would spread 18 data center buildings across roughly 1,600 acres, up from the original 677-acre proposal. City officials say the changes address concerns about compatibility with nearby homes and future transportation plans, but some residents remain skeptical about the project's potential impacts.

Why it matters

The debate over Project Marvel highlights the tensions that can arise when large-scale data center developments are proposed in residential areas. While city leaders view the project as a transformative economic opportunity, local residents are concerned about potential environmental damage, infrastructure strain, and the overall community impact of such a massive industrial development.

The details

The Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendation now heads to the Bessemer City Council for a final vote. The updated plan expands the proposed campus to roughly 1,600 acres, increasing residential setbacks to 250-300 feet and positioning the data center buildings outside the currently proposed route of the Northern Beltline corridor. Developers say the changes address concerns about compatibility, but some residents argue that key operational details remain unclear, such as the number of backup generators that would be used.

  • On Tuesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend the rezoning.
  • The recommendation now goes to the Bessemer City Council for a final decision.

The players

Bessemer Planning and Zoning Commission

The local government body that voted to recommend the rezoning of 914 acres for the expanded data center campus.

Bessemer City Council

The local government body that will have the final vote on whether to approve the rezoning and allow the expanded data center project to move forward.

David Havron

A local resident who expressed frustration that many of the same questions raised during earlier hearings about the project were not adequately answered.

Mary Rosenboom

A local resident who criticized the lack of clarity surrounding key operational details of the proposed data center, such as the number of backup generators.

Kenneth E. Gulley

The mayor of Bessemer, who has described the revised data center campus plan as the result of meaningful dialogue with residents and stakeholders.

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What they’re saying

“The issue we've got is the same problems and questions we had on the 700 acres that didn't get answered were asked again tonight. They said we already answered these before. I said, well if you've answered them before, it should be easy to answer them.”

— David Havron, Resident (ABC 33/40)

“We can't even get answers about generator counts. We asked them point blank, how many generators? Because that's a huge thing.”

— Mary Rosenboom, Resident (ABC 33/40)

“The updated campus plan reflects 'meaningful dialogue' with residents and stakeholders and aims to support long-term economic growth in Bessemer, Jefferson County, and the state while remaining respectful of surrounding neighborhoods.”

— Kenneth E. Gulley, Mayor (News release)

What’s next

The Bessemer City Council will have the final vote on whether to approve the rezoning and allow the expanded data center project to move forward.

The takeaway

The debate over Project Marvel highlights the ongoing tensions between economic development and community concerns when it comes to large-scale industrial projects like data centers. As cities seek to attract these types of investments, they must balance the potential economic benefits with the need to address residents' valid concerns about environmental impact, infrastructure demands, and overall quality of life.