Jones County residents raise concerns as data center moratorium nears end, launch GoFundMe for legal support

County leaders are expected to vote next week as some residents call for more time and transparency.

JONES COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Jones County’s 90-day moratorium on data centers is set to end later this month, as county leaders prepare to consider changes that could shape future development.

Before the moratorium expires, the Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to review a proposed text amendment on Monday, January 12. A final vote by the Jones County Board of Commissioners is expected Friday, January 16.

Some residents say the timeline is moving too quickly.

Alexandra Lefholz, a member of the “No Data Centers in Jones County” group, says open records requests show the county previously followed a developer-driven timeline. She says that raises concerns there is not enough time now for meaningful public participation.

“It’s concerning that we continue to seem to be rushing a process that was rushed in the first place and was acknowledged to be rushed by the commissioners themselves,” Lefholz said. “So why not just take more time, continue to learn, and continue to pass the best text amendment possible?”

Lefholz says restoring trust between residents and county leaders would require slowing the process down. She says she spends several hours a day researching the issue and believes three months is not enough time to adopt the best possible moratorium.

Those concerns have led some residents to take the next step.

Jones County resident Kathy Simmons helped start a GoFundMe to raise money for legal representation. Organizers say the fundraiser is intended to promote transparency and help protect citizens’ interests as decisions are made.

“There’s a lot of people that are realizing that these things are such environmental drains on the community,” Simmons said. “The developers don’t live here, and people want to protect where we live and raise our families.”