MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — Monroe County is evaluating a proposal to rezone residential property for a new 900-acre data center near Exit 15 along I-475 and Highway 41. Property owner Otis Ingram, along with two neighboring property owners, are advocating for the development, citing economic benefits and proximity to the interstate.
“That’s the big difference maker,” Ingram shared with WGXA during an exclusive interview while extending a tour of the property following previous media coverage while speaking with one resident in opposition to the project. “You’re right next to [the interstate] and most properties in the state of Georgia, along 75, are commercial, or industrial. So, the perfect place for property – if it’s going to develop in a county, starts along the interstate, and then of course, your county seat; like the City of Forsyth.
“The future is coming quicker than we think,” he said while highlighting the increasing demand for data storage due to technological advancements. He added, “We have over a mile of road frontage, and I can’t imagine it would be anything but commercial.”
According to a website outlining plans for the project, the state-of-the-art facility will bring the region new economic opportunities through millions of dollars in investment, tax revenue, and other community support. The current property owners will not participate in the development of the data center and are only designing and preparing the 900 acres for ownership transfer.
Ingram stated that rejecting the project would not maintain the status quo in Monroe County, a predominantly residential area, but rather continue to place the tax burden on homeowners. “Do you know we got an 18-percent property tax increase?” he said, noting a topic WGXA News covered since the interview with Ingram.
Ingram believes that a broader tax base and stronger revenue could significantly enhance the quality of life in Monroe County. He sees the proposed Bolingbroke data center as an opportunity to diversify the tax base, stating, “Smart growth is about finding that balance between good commercial projects, like ours, that produces lots of revenue and doesn’t tax the road.”
He assured that the data center would have minimal traffic impact, with 200 to 250 employees working over three shifts. Ingram also argued that data centers do not decrease property values but rather increase community value when thoughtfully planned and supported by local infrastructure.
“We came up with a plan for the data centers on the property, figuring it would have the least impact on the community because you won’t see it, you won’t hear it, and it will produce great revenue for the county,” Ingram said.
The proposal is currently on hold for six weeks pending review by the county’s planning and zoning department. The rezoning request will be presented to Monroe County Planning and Zoning on July 28 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a vote from Monroe County Commissioners. If approved, this would be the second data center in the area, following a similar project approved off the Rumble Road exit.
