South Fulton City Council Work Session – August 11, 2026: Streetlights, Data Centers, and City Manager Report

The City of South Fulton City Council held a work session on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs presided; City Clerk Corey Adams took roll call, and all seven councilmembers were present, establishing a quorum. The session included the City Manager’s monthly report, a Streetlight Program Update, an overview of proposed data center legislation, and no executive session. The work session adjourned at 5:04 p.m. by unanimous consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comment period was held during the work session. The transcript then transitions to a separate alcohol license and zoning public hearing, which is outside the work-session agenda.

Discussion Items

City Manager Monthly Report

• City Manager Sharon D. Subadan presented the monthly report and noted that the comprehensive transportation plan for South Fulton County is about to begin.
• Councilmember Linda B. Pritchett asked about the business license amnesty program. Ms. Subadan said few businesses came into compliance during amnesty, but awareness increased; a third-party option was rejected, and the FY27 budget will include hiring a team to supplement business licensing enforcement. Councilmember Pritchett expressed concern that many businesses remain confused and suggested a written, streamlined process, a lunch-and-learn, and a broader outreach campaign; she noted unlicensed businesses cannot operate within city limits under the charter. Mayor Gumbs added that code enforcement has been active and that a 48-hour business licensing process is being pursued.
• Councilmember Catherine F. Rowell flagged animal control data showing 420 stray/loose animal calls and 116 vicious-animal complaints, and asked for repeat-call analysis, education, and enforcement work with Fulton County. The City Manager said calls are often duplicated and that staff would try to identify repeat cases.
• Councilmember Jaceey Sebastian asked about the Cedar Grove Park contract and the status of EV chargers. The City Manager said the park contract is with the contractor for signature, and EV charger expansion had been paused because of Georgia Power subcontractor issues; 70 chargers are installed and the partnership is being resolved.
• Councilmember Natasha Williams-Brown asked about street sweeping on National Highway, which appeared in the report as monthly. Assistant City Manager Anthony Cooper clarified that public works confirmed street sweeping is occurring weekly.

Streetlight Program Update

• Public Works Director Antonio Valenzuela and Deputy Director Jim Martinez presented the update. The streetlight master plan was approved on July 9, 2024, and guides new lighting based on poor illumination, traffic volume, pedestrian activity, supplemental lighting, and complete-street design standards.
• Staff reported installations or planned pedestrian lights on routes including New Hope Road, Campbellton Road, East Stubbs, and locations such as Green Tree Trail, Elba Drive, Bruce Place, Loch Lomond, Farley, Dove, Zone Avenue, and the Cascade Hill subdivision. A solar initiative would add 160 solar pedestrian lights along Enon Road from Lynn Arbor Lane to Sanford Jones, pending contract approval.
• The proposed FY27 budget is $3.5 million: approximately $2.7 million committed to Georgia Power and Greystone for annual consumption and related work, with about $800,000 for the priority list from the master plan. The City Manager emphasized these are recurring annual costs, not one-time purchases; grant funds generally cannot cover recurring operating costs, though solar lights purchased outright could be grant-eligible.
• Councilmembers made district-specific requests: Mr. Sebastian asked for lighting along Hall Road near schools; Ms. Pritchett requested District 7 corrections and lighting on Old Jonesboro Road, Westbridge Road, and the Beseda Road/Jonesboro Road corridor, citing pedestrian fatalities and poor visibility; Mr. Johnson requested lighting around Wolf Creek Amphitheater; Ms. Rowell asked how outages are tracked and suggested sensors, public education, night audits, solar lighting behind the Wolf Creek stage, and coordination with the Fulton Industrial CID; Ms. Bell asked to clarify the $3.5 million budget and the $800,000 remainder; and Mr. Sebastian requested lighting at South Fulton Parkway/Highway 92 and coordination with GDOT because the area has a new transit stop and pedestrian activity.
• Staff said the priority list is fluid and will be circulated to councilmembers; requests can be submitted through Assistant City Manager Cooper. On state roads, GDOT coordination is required and the state will not pay for lights; the City Manager said the federal grant received is for a Vision Zero master plan, not direct implementation, and once the plan is complete the city can pursue implementation funding.

Overview of Proposed New Data Center Legislation

• Interim City Attorney Sara D.E. Kelly presented an overview of the proposed ordinance. The current moratorium, established by Resolutions 2025-94 and 2026-43, expires September 9, 2026. Sponsors attended multiple trainings and conferences before drafting the legislation.
• Key revisions since the last meeting: the buffer was revised from a half-mile to a quarter-mile minimum setback from residential/mixed-use property; a population correlation requirement was removed; and the mandatory lot size was reduced from 20 acres to 10 acres.
• The new ordinance would require a special use permit and would add: utility capacity certifications and annual certifications; a detailed infrastructure upgrade plan with a utility certification that upgrade costs will not be passed to existing ratepayers; closed-loop or best available technology for water; lower noise limits than the previous 65 dBA daytime/55 dBA nighttime standard; environmental compliance with EPA and Georgia EPD requirements; EPA Tier 6 emission standards for diesel generators; quarter-mile setbacks; 100-foot buffers adjacent to residential zoning and 50-foot buffers otherwise; 30-foot street buffers; tree/shrub and eight-foot fence requirements; masonry or decorative fencing around mechanical equipment; dark-sky-compliant lighting; and stormwater compliance with city regulations.
• Attorney Kelly explained the legal basis under Georgia zoning law, including special use permit standards and factors courts consider. She stated that, to her knowledge, no Georgia municipality has lost on data center legislation. She also outlined procedural guidance for council, including avoiding prejudgment and ex parte communications.
• A slide showed six data centers in operation, under construction, or permitted inside the city, plus centers near city borders.
• Councilmember Sebastian congratulated the sponsors and said the legislation should be passed and refined over time. Councilmember Rowell thanked co-sponsors Councilmembers Williams-Brown and Bell and Councilmember Sebastian for input. Councilmember Johnson praised the legislation. Councilmember Pritchett said she was not consulted, noted she represents the Oakley Industrial corridor, has consistently voted against data centers, and worried the legislation could affect neighboring jurisdictions or backfire. Mayor Gumbs called the legislation good, said the community needs more information, and announced a community talk around town on August 13 with Microsoft representatives expected to attend.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or ordinance decisions were made during the work session; the items were informational and for council discussion.
• The streetlight priority list is to be circulated to councilmembers, and individual council requests can be added or substituted because the list remains fluid.
• The proposed data center ordinance is expected to come before the council for future consideration; no vote was taken at this work session.
• No executive session was held. The work session adjourned at 5:04 p.m. by unanimous consent.