The Marietta City Council approved zoning on August 12 for a new data center at 1155 Powers Ferry Place in Cobb County, clearing the way for a second facility from developers already active in the city. The roughly 11-acre site would see part of an existing storage building converted into an 18-megawatt data center, according to the application submitted to the council. City officials estimated the facility's power draw would be enough to supply thousands of homes for a year.
The approval follows an earlier zoning decision that allowed a separate data center off Bells Ferry Road in Marietta last year, adding to the city's presence in the metro Atlanta data center corridor. The Cobb Chamber of Commerce backed the newest application in a letter to the council, saying data centers strengthen the local economy and give businesses room to grow.
The vote came after a contentious meeting in which protesters held signs and voiced opposition inside council chambers, with some later escorted out by police. Residents raised concerns about noise and potential effects on nearby Rottenwood Creek, since about 2.5 percent of the property sits within its floodplain. A city staff analysis noted that Marietta's zoning code lacks specific standards for data centers, so additional information would be needed to evaluate impacts on surrounding properties. The developer has pledged to build enclosures to reduce noise but has not yet provided technical specifics, according to the city's review documents.
Source: Atlanta News First - https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/08/13/marietta-city-council-approves-zoning-second-data-center-heated-meeting/