Atlanta City Council Considers Allowing Data Center in Adair Park

Proposed ordinance would make an exception to data center ban near transit hubs

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:07pm

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The Atlanta City Council is considering an ordinance that would allow a data center to be built in the Adair Park neighborhood, despite a previous ban on such facilities near high-capacity transit stops. While the new proposal includes some community-focused requirements, local residents remain concerned about the potential impact on the environment, noise levels, and the missed opportunity for more retail and residential development near the transit station.

Why it matters

The decision on the data center could have significant implications for the future development and character of the Adair Park neighborhood, which is located near a major transit hub. Residents are worried the data center would be an inappropriate use of the land and miss the chance to create a more vibrant, transit-oriented community.

The details

The proposed ordinance would make an exception to allow a data center in the 12-acre Adair Park site, which is located near a high-capacity transit stop. The new version of the ordinance includes some concessions, such as requiring at least 10% of the space to be used for restaurants or retail, as well as guidelines around power usage and noise. However, some residents feel the retail requirement is not enough to create the kind of mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development they would prefer. Concerns also remain about the environmental impact, including stormwater runoff and the potential to discourage transit ridership by not locating more residential and commercial uses near the transit station.

  • In September 2024, the city passed an ordinance banning data centers from being within a certain distance of high capacity transit stops.
  • In December 2024, the council struck down legislation to make an exception for a data center in Adair Park.
  • The current ordinance is on the agenda for the Atlanta City Council Zoning Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, though no vote is scheduled.

The players

Matt Garbett

The Land Use Chair for Adair Park Today, a local community organization, who feels the Adair Park site would be better suited for retail and residential development.

Eshé Collins

An Atlanta City Councilmember who is a co-sponsor of the ordinance to allow the data center, stating the new version includes more detailed community feedback.

Antonio Lewis

An Atlanta City Councilmember who sponsors the ordinance, stating the site would be a data exchange rather than a traditional data center and that residential development is not feasible due to lead remediation costs.

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What they’re saying

“This place is primed for retail and residential, so you need jobs, goods, services, and residents. You've got 12 acres, it's a perfect location for it.”

— Matt Garbett, Land Use Chair, Adair Park Today (11alive.com)

“It's bad environmentally locally, and it's bad environmentally in the sense that, you know, we want to encourage people to use transit, and the way to do that is to build things next to transit. If you take a 12 acre space adjacent to a transit station and don't put people living there or things for people to go get to, then you're scratching that off as a use for people to go to the train station and take that.”

— Matt Garbett, Land Use Chair, Adair Park Today (11alive.com)

What’s next

The Atlanta City Council Zoning Committee will discuss the proposed ordinance at its meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, though no vote is scheduled at this time.

The takeaway

The debate over the potential data center in Adair Park highlights the ongoing tension between economic development and preserving the character and transit-oriented potential of Atlanta's neighborhoods. The final decision will have significant implications for the future of this community and could set a precedent for how the city balances these competing priorities.