Ellenwood

Researched: 2026-08-02 · Lead source: Brockovich AI Data Center community map (1 resident report, 2026-05-26) · ZIP demographics: 84.0% Black, pop 43,076 (Census ACS 2023) · County: DeKalb (plus Clayton and Henry — see below) Status: One APPROVED and built-out-pending in Clayton County; one PROPOSED with a Board of Commissioners hearing scheduled August 13, 2026 in DeKalb County

This is research, not legal, financial, real-estate, or investment advice.

0. Snapshot

Ellenwood, GA 30294 is the most active data center front in this cluster. Two separate projects are documented, in two different counties, both inside the 30294 mailing area.

Project 1 — PCC-DeKalb, LLC (DeKalb County side): PROPOSED, decision imminent.

• 95 acres at 4280 and 4358 Loveless Place and 2281 Pineview Trail, unincorporated Ellenwood, DeKalb County
• Three two-story buildings, ~2 million sq ft of server space, plus an outdoor electric substation
• The site borders Clayton County
• Filed as a Special Land Use Permit under the "utility structure" category; current zoning is small-lot residential mix and mixed-use low-density
• DeKalb County staff recommended DENIAL — the property is designated for residential use and the data center does not comply with the county's comprehensive plan
• Planning Commission hearing July 7, 2026; Board of Commissioners hearing scheduled Thursday, August 13, 2026

Project 2 — TA Realty (Clayton County side): APPROVED.

• 4350 E Tanners Church Road, unincorporated Ellenwood, Clayton County — just under 35 acres of greenfield along E Tanners Church Rd between Dunn and Williamson roads
• Clayton County Board of Commissioners approved the site plan 3-1
• Eight residents spoke against it at the public hearing, citing water use, noise, and traffic
• Immediately afterward, Clayton County unanimously passed a moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated Clayton County

The pattern. ZIP 30294 is 84.0% Black. It sits at the seam of three counties, which means three different zoning authorities, three different notice systems, and a real risk that a project lands on whichever side of the line has the weakest rules that month. That has already happened once: Clayton approved a project, then passed a moratorium.

1. The Facility & Where It Sits

Project 1 — PCC-DeKalb, LLC (the big one)

Sources: https://www.decaturish.com/business/1-million-square-foot-data-center-proposed-in-south-dekalb/article_360e16a7-a411-4af9-91ed-1d8661aa37a5.html · https://www.wabe.org/1-million-square-foot-data-center-proposed-in-south-dekalb/ · https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/ · https://baxtel.com/data-center/pcc-dekalb-ellenwood-ga · https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/rezoning-proposal-for-95-acre-data-center-in-dekalb-county-georgia-deferred/ (all accessed 2026-08-02)

Where it sits. Loveless Place and Pineview Trail are residential streets. This is the core of the environmental-justice question here: the parcel is currently designated and zoned for residential use, in an 84% Black ZIP code, and the applicant is asking to place 2 million square feet of server halls and an electric substation on it. The county's own planning staff said no. The site abuts the Clayton County line, which means the nearest neighbors on one side answer to a different government than the nearest neighbors on the other.

Precise measured distances from the property lines to the nearest homes, schools, and churches: Not found as of 2026-08-02 in a published document. The staff report and site plan filed with DeKalb Planning & Sustainability would contain them — request them (see §8).

The site is roughly a 20-minute drive from the Arabia Alliance office on Klondike Road in Stonecrest, and approximately 15 miles from the western edge of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. Source: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Project 2 — TA Realty, E Tanners Church Road (Clayton County side)

Sources: https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ta-realty-gets-green-light-for-data-center-outside-atlanta-georgia/ · https://www.news-daily.com/news/clayton-approves-site-plan-for-data-center/article_d373bdec-8fa1-11ef-a643-4ba0e8c35eb0.html · https://baxtel.com/data-center/ta-realty-ellenwood-atl · https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/georgia/atlanta/ta-realty-4350-e-tanners-church/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Note that TA Realty is the same firm involved in the Union City projects covered in the ZIP 30291 report, and in the Red Oak ATL03 development. It is an active repeat player across the majority-Black southern crescent of metro Atlanta.

Also in the corridor, just outside 30294

Digital Realty, former Fort Gillem, Forest Park (Clayton County) — the ATL15/ATL16 campus, 97 acres, ~1.9 million sq ft, 200 MW, $2 billion+, on Metcalf Road at the decommissioned Fort Gillem Army base, in Forest Park city limits. Under Development of Regional Impact review with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs; estimated completion 2028. It is a few miles from Conley and Ellenwood. Detail in the ZIP 30288 report. Sources: https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/large-data-center-pitched-for-former-fort-gillem-base-south-of-atlanta/ · https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/digital-realty-files-to-develop-two-building-campus-outside-atlanta-georgia/ · https://newprojectmedia.com/origination-digital-realty-planning-usd-2bn-200-mw-data-center-campus-near-atlanta/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

2. Public Hearings & Notices

DeKalb County — the PCC-DeKalb SLUP timeline

The outcome of the July 7, 2026 Planning Commission vote is Not found as of 2026-08-02. Minutes had not been published in a location I could reach. Request them from DeKalb Planning & Sustainability (§8).

Why the August 13 date matters. DeKalb has a moratorium running to March 30, 2027, but that moratorium was imposed in July 2025 — the PCC-DeKalb application predates it and has continued moving through the process. Meanwhile, the ordinance that would have set buffers, size caps, and industrial-only siting was killed on June 23, 2026. So the August 13 hearing decides a 2-million-sq-ft data center on residentially-designated land, in a county that currently has no data-center-specific zoning standards, against a staff recommendation of denial. Whatever the Commission does becomes the precedent.

How to comment. DeKalb BOC meetings are held 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM, at 178 Sams Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Zoning hearings and public hearings are calendared separately — check the Legistar calendar and the Planning & Sustainability public hearings page (§8) for the exact time and room for August 13.

Clayton County

Whether Clayton's moratorium was extended past December 31, 2025 is Not found as of 2026-08-02. Call the Clayton BOC clerk (§8) and ask. Note that the moratorium covered unincorporated Clayton only — the cities (Forest Park, Morrow, Lake City, Riverdale) set their own zoning, and Forest Park had already approved the Digital Realty/Fort Gillem project.

Clayton BOC regular meetings: 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 6:00 PM, 112 Smith Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236. Zoning matters are heard on the third Tuesday. Source: https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/board-meeting-information/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Henry County

Part of ZIP 30294 extends into Henry County. No data center project inside the Henry County portion of 30294 was found as of 2026-08-02.

3. Power

Georgia Power (Southern Company) serves this area. The PCC-DeKalb application includes an outdoor electric substation on the site — that is a strong indicator of a large connected load, and it is one of the specific things residents have objected to, since a substation is an industrial structure being placed on residentially-designated land.

The statewide picture, as it applies here:

• January 2025: the Georgia PSC approved a rule letting Georgia Power bill new large-load customers above 100 MW on project-specific risk terms — upfront infrastructure payments, minimum billing, financial guarantees, and contract terms extended from 5 to 15 years. Contracts ≥100 MW are subject to PSC oversight. Stated purpose: shield residential and small-business ratepayers. Sources: https://psc.ga.gov/site/assets/files/8617/media_advisory_data_centers_rule_1-23-2025.pdf · https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/georgia-psc-approves-new-billing-rules-for-data-centers-and-large-load-customers/
• December 2025: PSC approved Georgia Power's roughly $16 billion generation expansion, driven substantially by data center demand. Source: https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/12/georgia-power-gets-pscs-go-ahead-on-16b-data-center-power-plant-expansion/
• February 18, 2026: PSC denied environmental groups' request to block the expansion. Source: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/
• April 2026: PSC approved a Customer Identified Resource program allowing large C&I customers to fund their own generation via a monthly tariff. Source: https://psc.ga.gov/site/downloads/datacenterfactsheet.pdf (March 2026 PSC Data Center Fact Sheet)
• The verification gap: cost details for serving large loads stay confidential until 2028. Nobody outside the PSC and the utility can currently check whether data centers are covering their own grid costs. Source: https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/georgia-psc-vote-keeps-public-dark-about-energy-rates
• Transmission and eminent domain: Georgia Power's ten-year plan includes 1,000+ miles of new transmission, and the company is already exercising eminent domain on a documented ~35-mile corridor in Fayette/Heard/Fulton/Coweta counties (~330 parcels, ~30 homes). Reporting attributes 70–80% of new capacity to data centers. No corridor specific to Ellenwood was found. Sources: https://fortune.com/2026/07/26/georgia-power-utility-company-eminent-domain-grid-expansion-data-center/ · https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-power-ai-data-centers-eminent-domain/
• Demand is not slowing. AJC reported in June 2026 that Georgia data centers "fill up as soon as they're built, driving demand higher." Source: https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/06/georgia-data-centers-fill-up-as-soon-as-theyre-built-driving-demand-higher/

The MW figure for the PCC-DeKalb project is Not found as of 2026-08-02. This is the single most important missing number and residents should demand it: if the connected load is at or above 100 MW, the project falls under the PSC's large-load contract rules and there is a filing trail at psc.ga.gov. If it's below, there isn't.

All accessed 2026-08-02.

4. Water & Drought

Sewer — this is the sharpest local issue. The DeKalb side of Ellenwood drains to the Snapfinger Creek Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility on the South River — a 54 MGD advanced plant built for roughly $198 million, replacing a 1980s facility permitted at 36 MGD. Sources: https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/snapfinger-creek-advanced-wastewater-treatment-facility · https://cerm.com/dekalb-snapfinger-creek (accessed 2026-08-02)

DeKalb County is under a federal Clean Water Act consent decree. It requires the county to build and run Capacity, Management, Operations and Maintenance (CMOM) programs, assess and rehabilitate the sewer system, and perform a one-time cleanup of three streams damaged by sewage spills: the South River, South Fork Peachtree Creek, and Snapfinger Creek. The Ellenwood site drains into that watershed. Sources: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/dekalb-county-clean-water-act-settlement · https://grahampm.com/project/dekalb-county-federal-consent-decree-program-management-services/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Industrial discharge. Reporting on the county's regulatory discussion states DeKalb "will not allow data centers to dump PFAS-laden chemically treated industrial runoff into the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant and the South River watershed." Because the ordinance carrying enforceable standards was denied on June 23, 2026, ask the county in writing which currently-adopted document contains that prohibition and how it would be enforced against this applicant. Source: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Drinking water. DeKalb County Watershed Management, from the Scott Candler Water Filter Plant. The Clayton County side is served by the Clayton County Water Authority. Sources: https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/about-watershed-management · https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/watershed-management (accessed 2026-08-02)

Cooling water for this project: Not found as of 2026-08-02. No cooling technology (closed-loop vs. evaporative), no gallons-per-day figure, and no water source has been published for the PCC-DeKalb application. Demand it. "Closed loop" is a claim, not a permit condition, unless it is written into the SLUP conditions.

Drought. The Georgia EPD declared a Level 1 Drought Response statewide on April 27, 2026. As of the July 14, 2026 U.S. Drought Monitor reading, roughly 33% of Georgia was in active drought (26.6% D1 Moderate, 6% D2 Severe) with 52% Abnormally Dry (D0); DeKalb County was reported in drought conditions. Under Level 1, no restrictions apply beyond Georgia's year-round rule barring outdoor irrigation 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Check current status: https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?GA= · https://www.drought.gov/states/georgia/county/dekalb Sources: https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/state/georgia/current-drought-conditions · https://www.drought.gov/states/georgia/county/dekalb · https://fultoncountyga.gov/services/water-services/drought-status (accessed 2026-08-02)

Scale context. Science for Georgia estimates Georgia's existing data centers require roughly 27 billion gallons of water per year. Source: https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/data-center-expansion-fulton-county-georgia/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

5. Population & Who Lives Here

• ZIP 30294: 84.0% Black, population 43,076 (Census ACS 2023, per the community map dataset used for this project).
• Ellenwood is unincorporated. There is no City of Ellenwood, no mayor, no city council, and no city clerk. That matters more than it sounds: residents here have no municipal government of their own to appeal to. Every land-use decision is made by a county commission that also answers to hundreds of thousands of people who don't live here.
• The 30294 mailing area spans three counties — DeKalb, Clayton, and Henry. Your zoning authority depends on which county your parcel is in. Two of the three (DeKalb, Clayton) have taken data center actions; they are not the same actions.
• Poverty, income, and population-trend figures for ZCTA 30294 specifically: Not found as of 2026-08-02 in a citable form during this research window. Pull them from https://data.census.gov (search ZCTA 30294) rather than from secondary aggregators.

The demographic fact that drives this report: an 84% Black unincorporated community with no city government is being asked to absorb a 2-million-sq-ft industrial facility on residentially-designated land, and a second one 35 acres across the county line was already approved 3-1.

6. Money — Abatements, Incentives, Jobs

Statewide exemption. Georgia's high-technology data center sales and use tax exemption has been in place since 2018 and sunsets January 1, 2032. Every 2026 attempt to curb it failed:

Roughly 20 data center bills failed in the 2026 Georgia legislative session. Georgia is projected to forgo on the order of $2.5 billion in state and local revenue to the exemption in FY2026. Sources: https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/03/georgia-senate-votes-to-claw-back-data-center-tax-breaks/ · https://www.wabe.org/advocates-frustrated-after-20-data-center-bills-fail-to-pass-georgia-legislature/ · https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09042026/georgia-legislature-data-center-bills-fail/ · https://www.alston.com/en/insights/publications/2026/02/georgia-sales-tax-exemptions-data-centers · https://goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data-center-tax-breaks/ · https://www.audits2.ga.gov/reports/summaries/georgia-data-center-sales-use-tax-exemption/ · https://www.congressweb.com/GEAN/bills/detail/id/57299/type/state (accessed 2026-08-02)

Local abatements or PILOTs for either Ellenwood project: Not found as of 2026-08-02. No Development Authority of DeKalb County or Clayton County incentive agreement for PCC-DeKalb or the TA Realty E Tanners Church project was located. This is a gap worth closing with an open records request — for comparison, the Development Authority of Fulton County approved $75 million over 10 years for the Microsoft/Union City project (see the ZIP 30291 report). Comparison source: https://www.ajc.com/news/business/fulton-board-approves-75m-tax-break-for-microsoft-data-center/Q3K2XGXZD5DGRJUPUB3ENQGB4A/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

Jobs. No permanent job figure has been published for either Ellenwood project. Not found as of 2026-08-02. Ask for the number in writing, split into construction jobs and permanent on-site jobs, and ask whether either is a binding condition of approval or merely a projection.

An alternative that was proposed and rejected. DeKalb Commissioner Ted Terry publicly floated capping data centers at 500,000 sq ft, requiring health and environmental impact studies, pursuing 100% renewable requirements, and creating an "AI tech dividend fund" reinvesting 50% of resulting tax revenue in the community. None were adopted. Source: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

7. Community Reaction & News Coverage

Ellenwood has generated the most sustained resident opposition of any site in this cluster.

• Residents packed the January 20, 2026 DeKalb BOC meeting in opposition; the vote was delayed. Source: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/
• Decaturish ran a dedicated story on South DeKalb residents opposing the proposal. Source: https://www.decaturish.com/business/south-dekalb-residents-oppose-ellenwood-data-center-proposal/article_40a23702-fc17-4536-89b9-953728f55ea7.html
• Audience members snapped in support when the planning department's denial recommendation was read at a hearing. Source: https://www.decaturish.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-defers-ellenwood-data-center-proposal-to-july/article_538dee7b-93c9-498b-857e-41df37b4e194.html
• FOX 5 Atlanta: "Activists warn proposed Ellenwood data center could create 'wasteland'." Source: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/activists-warn-proposed-ellenwood-data-center-could-create-wasteland
• 11Alive covered residents protesting plans for massive data centers in DeKalb. Source: https://www.11alive.com/article/news/community/residents-protest-plans-for-massive-data-centers-in-dekalb/85-25351bde-324b-4210-81d1-d00564d112bd
• On the Clayton side, eight residents spoke against the TA Realty project, raising water use, noise, and traffic. The board approved it 3-1 anyway — and then passed a moratorium. Source: https://www.news-daily.com/news/clayton-approves-site-plan-for-data-center/article_d373bdec-8fa1-11ef-a643-4ba0e8c35eb0.html
• Resident Deborah Wallace, at the June 2026 DeKalb hearing: "We have a water problem and water is one of the most precious commodities we have." Source: https://www.decaturish.com/business/update-dekalb-commission-denies-data-center-regulations/article_f877cc12-2d95-4417-9c42-48ca80e491ee.html
• Organized groups identified in coverage: Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, Renew DeKalb, the Atlanta chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Attorney Gina Mangham has represented resident interests through the ordinance process. Sources: https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/ · https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/calhoun_times/news/local/all-georgia-data-center-ordinances----from-most-to-least-restrictive/article_935d360f-88a5-42a7-91e8-82f597fe4bbf.html
• National frame: Capital B has covered Black communities across the South battling the hidden costs of AI data centers. Source: https://capitalbnews.org/data-centers-black-communities-south/
• Countervailing force: a pro-data-center PR group launched in Georgia on July 27, 2026 specifically to win over critics. Source: https://georgiarecorder.com/2026/07/27/pro-data-center-group-launches-in-georgia-to-try-to-win-over-critics/

Lawsuits specific to Ellenwood: Not found as of 2026-08-02. (For context, Coweta County residents did sue in May 2026 over a data center approval there — the tactic exists in Georgia.) Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/coweta-county-residents-file-appeal-to-stop-massive-data-center-on-protected-rural-land/ (accessed 2026-08-02)

All accessed 2026-08-02.

8. Find Out For Yourself

Step zero: find out which county you're in. A 30294 address can be DeKalb, Clayton, or Henry. Check your property tax bill or call the county tax assessor. Everything below depends on that answer.

If you're in DeKalb County (the PCC-DeKalb project side)

If you're in Clayton County (the TA Realty project side)

Clayton County Clerk's individual name: Not found as of 2026-08-02 in a verifiable source. Call (770) 473-5744.

State-level

Newsrooms

• Decaturish — most consistent Ellenwood coverage: https://www.decaturish.com
• Clayton News-Daily: https://www.news-daily.com
• The Champion (DeKalb legal organ): https://www.championnewspaper.com
• Capital B Atlanta: https://atlanta.capitalbnews.org
• Atlanta Civic Circle: https://atlantaciviccircle.org
• Georgia Recorder: https://georgiarecorder.com
• WABE: https://www.wabe.org · FOX 5: https://www.fox5atlanta.com · 11Alive: https://www.11alive.com · WSB-TV: https://www.wsbtv.com

Published tip-line phone numbers for these outlets: Not found as of 2026-08-02 in verifiable form. Use each outlet's "contact us" or "send a tip" page.

Five records to request, in writing, before August 13

Under the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.), addressed to DeKalb County Planning & Sustainability and the Clerk to the BOC:

1. The complete staff report and site plan for the PCC-DeKalb SLUP — including setbacks, buffer distances to the nearest residences, building heights, and generator counts.
2. The connected electrical load in megawatts requested by the applicant, and any correspondence with Georgia Power about service to the site.
3. The water demand and cooling method — gallons per day, source, and whether closed-loop cooling is a proposed condition of approval or just a representation.
4. Any proposed industrial pretreatment permit or discharge to the Snapfinger system, and how it interacts with the federal consent decree.
5. Any Development Authority of DeKalb County resolution, bond, PILOT, or abatement relating to this applicant or these parcels.

And separately, to the Clayton County Clerk: Was the Resolution 2025-193 moratorium extended beyond December 31, 2025, and what is its status today?

9. If You're Thinking About Moving Here

This is an honest read, not advice. Talk to your own professionals.

Do not buy in Ellenwood without first checking the August 13, 2026 outcome. That is the most concrete thing in this entire report. A 2-million-sq-ft data center campus with an on-site electric substation is pending on residentially-designated land at Loveless Place and Pineview Trail. County staff recommended denial. The Board of Commissioners hears it on August 13. If it is approved, the character of that part of Ellenwood changes, and it sets the precedent for the rest of south DeKalb.

What's already decided. The TA Realty project on E Tanners Church Road in unincorporated Clayton is approved. That's 35 acres of greenfield converted, with eight residents on the record against it. And a few miles away, Digital Realty's 97-acre, 200 MW, $2 billion Fort Gillem campus is moving through DRI review in Forest Park. This corridor is being built out whether or not the DeKalb project passes.

The structural problem: nobody here has a city. Ellenwood is unincorporated. There is no mayor to call, no city council to pack, no local planning commission that is only accountable to you. Everything runs through county commissions with countywide constituencies. Compare Union City, which at least got a heated council meeting, or Stonecrest, which is its own municipality. Ellenwood residents have to travel to Decatur or Jonesboro to be heard, on a weekday morning in DeKalb's case.

The three-county seam is a real vulnerability. A developer turned away in DeKalb can look 500 feet across the line in Clayton or Henry. Clayton approved a project and then passed a moratorium — which is the wrong order if the goal is protection. Rules that stop at a county line don't stop a project; they relocate it.

Water and sewer are the honest weak point. DeKalb's sewer system is under a federal consent decree for failures that damaged the South River and Snapfinger Creek — the exact watershed this site drains to. The county says it won't accept PFAS-laden industrial discharge, but the ordinance that would have made that enforceable was voted down in June 2026. Georgia is under a Level 1 drought response declared April 27, 2026.

Power costs are unverifiable by design. The PSC says large loads pay their own way; the PSC also seals the cost data until 2028. Georgia Power is building 1,000+ miles of new transmission and using eminent domain elsewhere in the state to do it.

What's genuinely good. Ellenwood is close-in metro Atlanta with land prices well below the northern arc, real highway access, and a residential community that has shown up repeatedly and forced multiple deferrals from a county commission. County planning staff sided with residents and recommended denial — that is not nothing, and it is the strongest official document in this file.

Practical steps before you buy:

• Confirm the county. Then pull the parcel's zoning and future land use designation, plus every parcel within a half mile.
• Measure the distance from the property to 4280/4358 Loveless Place, 2281 Pineview Trail, and 4350 E Tanners Church Road.
• Check whether any Georgia Power transmission corridor study touches the property.
• Subscribe to the DeKalb Legistar calendar and the Clayton County BOC agenda feed.
• Attend or watch August 13, 2026.

Bottom line. Ellenwood is not a "what if" site. It is an active one. One project is approved, one is days from a decision, and a $2 billion campus is under regional review nearby. This is an 84% Black unincorporated community with no city government of its own, straddling three county lines, downstream of a sewer system under federal supervision. If you're considering buying here, the honest answer is: find out what happens on August 13 first, and don't let anyone tell you the question is settled.

10. Sources

All accessed 2026-08-02.

Official / government

• DeKalb County, July 2026 Zoning Agenda (PDF) — https://dekalbcountyga.gov/sites/default/files/2026-05/July%202026%20Zoning%20Agenda.pdf
• DeKalb County, Community Council District 3 — June 10, 2026 Agenda (PDF) — https://dekalbcountyga.gov/sites/default/files/2026-05/Community%20Council%20District%203%20-%20June%2010,%202026%20Agenda.pdf
• DeKalb County Planning & Sustainability, Public Hearings, Agenda & Minutes — https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/planning-and-sustainability/public-hearings-agenda-and-minutes
• DeKalb County Data Center Text Amendment (Engage DeKalb) — https://engagedekalb.dekalbcountyga.gov/data-center-text-amendment
• DeKalb County BOC contact — https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/board-commissioners/contact-us
• DeKalb County Clerk to CEO & BOC — https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/board-commissioners/clerk-ceo-and-boc
• DeKalb County legislation portal — https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/board-commissioners/legislation
• DeKalb County Legistar calendar — https://dekalbcountyga.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
• DeKalb County Watershed Management — https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/watershed-management
• DeKalb County, About Watershed Management — https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/about-watershed-management
• DeKalb County, Snapfinger Creek AWTF — https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/snapfinger-creek-advanced-wastewater-treatment-facility
• Clayton County BOC, moratorium on new data centers (Res. 2025-193) — https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/news/clayton-county-board-of-commissioners-approves-moratorium-on-new-data-centers-in-clayton-county/
• Clayton County Board Meeting Information — https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/board-meeting-information/
• Clayton County Board of Commissioners — https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/government/board-of-commissioners/
• Clayton County directory — https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/residents/county-directory/
• US EPA, DeKalb County Clean Water Act Settlement — https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/dekalb-county-clean-water-act-settlement
• Georgia PSC, large-load rule media advisory (1/23/2025) — https://psc.ga.gov/site/assets/files/8617/media_advisory_data_centers_rule_1-23-2025.pdf
• Georgia PSC Data Center Fact Sheet (March 2026) — https://psc.ga.gov/site/downloads/datacenterfactsheet.pdf
• Georgia Dept. of Audits, data center sales/use tax exemption summary — https://www.audits2.ga.gov/reports/summaries/georgia-data-center-sales-use-tax-exemption/
• HB 1059, Data Center Impact Assessment and Development Moratorium Act of 2026 — https://www.congressweb.com/GEAN/bills/detail/id/57299/type/state

News and trade press

• Decaturish, 1 million square-foot data center proposed in South DeKalb — https://www.decaturish.com/business/1-million-square-foot-data-center-proposed-in-south-dekalb/article_360e16a7-a411-4af9-91ed-1d8661aa37a5.html
• Decaturish, South DeKalb residents oppose Ellenwood data center proposal — https://www.decaturish.com/business/south-dekalb-residents-oppose-ellenwood-data-center-proposal/article_40a23702-fc17-4536-89b9-953728f55ea7.html
• Decaturish, DeKalb defers Ellenwood data center proposal to July — https://www.decaturish.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-defers-ellenwood-data-center-proposal-to-july/article_538dee7b-93c9-498b-857e-41df37b4e194.html
• Decaturish, DeKalb Commission denies data center regulations — https://www.decaturish.com/business/update-dekalb-commission-denies-data-center-regulations/article_f877cc12-2d95-4417-9c42-48ca80e491ee.html
• Decaturish, DeKalb's proposed data center regulations explained — https://www.decaturish.com/business/dekalb-countys-proposed-data-center-regulations-explained/article_08689a5c-1342-421c-8b09-17c1f773febb.html
• WABE, 1 million square-foot data center proposed in South DeKalb — https://www.wabe.org/1-million-square-foot-data-center-proposed-in-south-dekalb/
• Atlanta News First, DeKalb commissioners defer vote on SLUP — https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/01/13/dekalb-county-commissioners-defer-vote-special-land-use-permit-proposed-data-center/
• Appen Media, DeKalb extends data center moratorium through early 2027 — https://www.appenmedia.com/dunwoody/dekalb-extends-data-center-moratorium-through-early-2027/article_77234ebb-6378-477d-9ac6-9d7809828c2c.html
• FOX 5 Atlanta, Activists warn proposed Ellenwood data center could create 'wasteland' — https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/activists-warn-proposed-ellenwood-data-center-could-create-wasteland
• 11Alive, Residents protest plans for massive data centers in DeKalb — https://www.11alive.com/article/news/community/residents-protest-plans-for-massive-data-centers-in-dekalb/85-25351bde-324b-4210-81d1-d00564d112bd
• Clayton News-Daily, Clayton approves site plan for data center — https://www.news-daily.com/news/clayton-approves-site-plan-for-data-center/article_d373bdec-8fa1-11ef-a643-4ba0e8c35eb0.html
• Data Center Dynamics, Rezoning proposal for 95-acre data center in DeKalb County deferred — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/rezoning-proposal-for-95-acre-data-center-in-dekalb-county-georgia-deferred/
• Data Center Dynamics, TA Realty gets green light for data center outside Atlanta — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/ta-realty-gets-green-light-for-data-center-outside-atlanta-georgia/
• Data Center Dynamics, Digital Realty files two-building campus outside Atlanta — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/digital-realty-files-to-develop-two-building-campus-outside-atlanta-georgia/
• Data Center Dynamics, Georgia PSC approves new billing rules — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/georgia-psc-approves-new-billing-rules-for-data-centers-and-large-load-customers/
• AJC, Large data center pitched for former Fort Gillem base — https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/large-data-center-pitched-for-former-fort-gillem-base-south-of-atlanta/
• AJC, Georgia Power gets PSC's go-ahead on $16B expansion — https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/12/georgia-power-gets-pscs-go-ahead-on-16b-data-center-power-plant-expansion/
• AJC, Georgia data centers fill up as soon as they're built — https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/06/georgia-data-centers-fill-up-as-soon-as-theyre-built-driving-demand-higher/
• AJC, Georgia Senate votes to claw back data center tax breaks — https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/03/georgia-senate-votes-to-claw-back-data-center-tax-breaks/
• AJC, Fulton board approves $75M tax break for Microsoft data center — https://www.ajc.com/news/business/fulton-board-approves-75m-tax-break-for-microsoft-data-center/Q3K2XGXZD5DGRJUPUB3ENQGB4A/
• New Project Media, Digital Realty planning $2bn, 200 MW campus near Atlanta — https://newprojectmedia.com/origination-digital-realty-planning-usd-2bn-200-mw-data-center-campus-near-atlanta/
• WABE, Advocates frustrated after 20 data center bills fail — https://www.wabe.org/advocates-frustrated-after-20-data-center-bills-fail-to-pass-georgia-legislature/
• Inside Climate News, Georgia legislature data center bills fail — https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09042026/georgia-legislature-data-center-bills-fail/
• Georgia Recorder, Pro-data-center group launches in Georgia (7/27/2026) — https://georgiarecorder.com/2026/07/27/pro-data-center-group-launches-in-georgia-to-try-to-win-over-critics/
• Northwest Georgia News, All Georgia data center ordinances (6/10/2026) — https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/calhoun_times/news/local/all-georgia-data-center-ordinances----from-most-to-least-restrictive/article_935d360f-88a5-42a7-91e8-82f597fe4bbf.html
• GPB, A 'wave' of data center ordinances sweep through GA counties — https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/10/22/wave-of-data-center-ordinances-sweep-through-ga-counties-how-strict-are-they
• CBS Atlanta, Coweta County residents file appeal to stop data center — https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/coweta-county-residents-file-appeal-to-stop-massive-data-center-on-protected-rural-land/
• Capital B, Black Communities Battle Big Tech Over the Hidden Costs of AI — https://capitalbnews.org/data-centers-black-communities-south/
• NRDC, Georgia PSC vote keeps public in the dark — https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/georgia-psc-vote-keeps-public-dark-about-energy-rates
• Fortune, Georgia Power eminent domain grid expansion — https://fortune.com/2026/07/26/georgia-power-utility-company-eminent-domain-grid-expansion-data-center/
• CBS News, Georgia Power AI data centers eminent domain — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-power-ai-data-centers-eminent-domain/
• Alston & Bird, Georgia sales tax exemptions for data centers — https://www.alston.com/en/insights/publications/2026/02/georgia-sales-tax-exemptions-data-centers
• Good Jobs First, Georgia data center tax breaks — https://goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data-center-tax-breaks/
• The Cooldown, Residents fight back in Fulton County — https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/data-center-expansion-fulton-county-georgia/
• Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, AI Data Centers in DeKalb — https://arabiaalliance.org/uncategorized/ai-data-centers-in-dekalb-whats-at-stake-for-arabia-mountain-nha/
• CERM, DeKalb Snapfinger Creek — https://cerm.com/dekalb-snapfinger-creek
• Graham PM, DeKalb County Federal Consent Decree — https://grahampm.com/project/dekalb-county-federal-consent-decree-program-management-services/

Facility databases

• Baxtel, PCC-DeKalb: Ellenwood, GA Data Center — https://baxtel.com/data-center/pcc-dekalb-ellenwood-ga
• Baxtel, TA Realty: Ellenwood, ATL Data Center — https://baxtel.com/data-center/ta-realty-ellenwood-atl
• Data Center Map, TA Realty 4350 E Tanners Church — https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/georgia/atlanta/ta-realty-4350-e-tanners-church/
• Data Center Map, Fort Gillem ATL16 (Digital Realty) — https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/georgia/atlanta/fort-gillem-atl16/

Reference / environmental

• U.S. Census data portal — https://data.census.gov
• Drought.gov, DeKalb County conditions — https://www.drought.gov/states/georgia/county/dekalb
• U.S. Drought Monitor, Georgia — https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?GA=
• PlantMaps, Current Georgia drought conditions (July 14, 2026) — https://www.plantmaps.com/en/us/state/georgia/current-drought-conditions
• Fulton County Water Services drought status — https://fultoncountyga.gov/services/water-services/drought-status
• Clayton County Water Authority — https://www.ccwa.us