A 700-acre data center in Bessemer, Alabama, has been approved by the planning and zoning commission despite concerns from local residents.

First reported by ABC3340 News, Logistic Land Investments LLC is planning an 18-building data center campus near Rock Mountain Lake Road in Jefferson County.

The site requires a zoning change from agricultural to industrial. Thus far, the planning and zoning commission has voted 4-2 to approve the recommendation. The proposal will now be sent to the city council for a final decision.

According to the report, every seat was accounted for at the planning and commission meeting that took place on March 11.

Residents expressed concerns about quality of life, pollution, noise, and the impact on the environment.

Marshall Killingsworth, a resident of Jefferson County for more than 40 years, said: “We are dealing with noise, we are dealing with pollution. This particular land is rich, filled with ecology, we’re talking about natural watersheds, we’re talking about little blue creeks [which] run through it. We’re talking about a habitat for deer, turkey, you name it.”

A spokesperson for Logistic Land LLC said the company would adhere to the noise ordinance and said it would keep residents informed of any studies undertaken.

The developer added it would ensure high-paying and high-quality jobs would be brought to the county.

The publication reached out to Mayor Kenneth Gulley for more information. However, his chief of staff stated that he, the mayor, and the city attorney had signed a non-disclosure agreement and had no comment.

It is currently unclear who is behind Logistics Land Investments LLC. The same company previously filed to build a data center in Venus, Texas, in July 2024.

Currently, Lumen and DC Blox have a presence in the Birmingham area of Jefferson County. The county is the most populous in the state.