DeKalb County PECS Committee Meeting – April 14, 2026

The Planning, Economic Development, and Community Services (PECS) committee of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners met on April 14, 2026, at 8:30 PM ET. Chair Nicole Messiah presided over the meeting, with Commissioners Robert Patrick (District 1), Michelle Long Spears (District 2), and Ted Terry (District 6) participating. The committee addressed routine approvals, a public safety ordinance deferral, and extensive discussions on data center regulations, including a proposed baseline assessment study and a resolution to amend the text amendment.

Consent Calendar

• 2026-0637 (Minutes): Approved unanimously. (Motion by Commissioner Patrick, second by Commissioner Messiah.)
• 2025-1760 (Park Pride Grant): Approved unanimously. $50,000 grant from Park Pride for a playground at Fraser Row Park. Director Bass presented the item. Commissioner Patrick expressed gratitude for community partnerships.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during this committee meeting.

Discussion Items

• 2026-0550 (Public Safety Ordinance): Commissioner Messiah deferred this item for two weeks to allow further review of legal tweaks. Commissioner Terry requested the draft ordinance be circulated to the full board. The interim county attorney clarified that the process requires Commissioner Messiah's permission to share. The committee voted unanimously to defer for two weeks.
• 2026-0244 & 2026-0245 (Data Center Baseline Assessment & Third-Party Analysis): These two items were considered together. Commissioner Terry explained that the resolution (0244) would require a baseline assessment before issuing land disturbance permits for data centers, and the allocation (0245) would provide $15,000 from the general fund to Science for Georgia to conduct that assessment. Commissioner Patrick preferred a countywide health and socioeconomic baseline not tied to data centers. Deputy Director Bragg stated that staff had already incorporated many of Science for Georgia's recommendations into the proposed text amendment, including specific impact studies for each application. Commissioner Terry noted that the study would address PFAS concerns and community benefits agreements. Commissioner Patrick requested a watershed management expert address water quality at the next meeting. The committee voted to defer both items for two weeks.
• 2026-0341 (Resolution to Update Data Center Regulations): Commissioner Terry proposed three amendments: (1) require a special land use permit (SLUP) for all data center applications; (2) strike the data center campus definition to cap developments at 500,000 square feet; (3) incentivize 100% renewable energy use. Deputy Director Bragg provided staff analysis: SLUP for all could discourage small, low-impact reuse of vacant industrial sites; campus cap might deter large end-users like Google or Microsoft; the renewable incentive was acceptable. Commissioner Patrick suggested a review of properties that could meet the current by-right exception. Commissioner Terry argued that without a SLUP, large developments could bypass community input. The committee voted to defer the resolution to the May 12, 2026, meeting. They also discussed holding a town hall or committee-of-the-whole meeting to allow public participation, with a preference for the June 2 evening COW meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Deferrals: All three major agenda items (2026-0550, 2026-0244/0245, and 2026-0341) were deferred to future meetings (two weeks or May 12).
• Future Meetings: The committee will continue data center discussions at the May 12 meeting. A committee-of-the-whole meeting on June 2 (evening) was proposed for broader public input.
• Staff Direction: Deputy Director Bragg will map properties that could qualify for by-right data center development under the current ordinance. The interim county attorney encouraged commissioners to email technical questions to staff outside of meetings.