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# CALL TO ACTION: Rally Against the Shadowbox Data Center on September 9 @ 1:00PM!
- URL: https://www.dekalbcoalition.org/call-to-action-rally-against-the-shadowbox-data-center-on-september-9-1-00pm/
- Published: 2026-09-02T16:10:29.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-07T23:24:37.000Z
- Author: DeKalb Citizens Coalition
- Tags: News, Call to action

---

This Wednesday, September 9 @ 1:00PM, Shadowbox is pressuring the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to consider a Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) change of use application. 

Put simply, Shadowbox wants to build a roughly 4-million-square-foot data center on 155+ acres originally intended for their movie studio expansion. However, data centers were not an approved use-case on their initial LDP, so they must receive approval for a change of use.

But county staff *rightly refused* to process their change of use application due to the ongoing data center moratorium, which prevents the construction of any new data centers in the county pending the completion of internal departmental reviews at the *very least*. (We are also demanding a fully-funded third-party health and environmental impact review.)

Rather than accept the wishes of the community, Shadowbox decided to file a lawsuit against the county, arguing that the *people's data center moratorium* is without legal standing. **And now, they are appearing before the ZBA to try and override the better judgment of DeKalb residents!**

We're asking you to attend the virtual ZBA meeting on Wednesday, September 9 @ 1:00PM, to make your opposition to Shadowbox's data center project clear. **You can join the Zoom meeting from your personal computer or mobile phone using the following link:** [***https://tinyurl.com/shadowbox-zba***](https://tinyurl.com/shadowbox-zba?ref=dekalbcoalition.org)**.**

Remember, there is strength in numbers: **Show out to pressure the ZBA to deny Shadowbox's change of use request and defend the people's data center moratorium against extractive economic "development"!**

In solidarity ✊,

DeKalb Citizens Coalition

## Definitions

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### *What does the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) actually do?*

"The Board evaluates variance requests using five criteria from the DeKalb County Zoning Ordinance:

1. **Physical Conditions** — Is there an exceptional physical condition affecting the property?
2. **Minimum Relief** — Is the request limited to the minimum necessary?
3. **Public Welfare** — Will the request avoid material harm to nearby properties or the public?
4. **Ordinance Hardship** — Would strict application of the ordinance create undue and unnecessary hardship?
5. **Spirit and Purpose** — Is the request consistent with the zoning ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan?

The Board is not only considering whether the project is desirable. It must determine whether the request meets the legal standards for a variance" ([https://dekalbcountyga.gov/planning-and-sustainability/zoning/zba](https://dekalbcountyga.gov/planning-and-sustainability/zoning/zba?ref=dekalbcoalition.org))."

Note: A variance is "a formal request to adjust \[zoning\] rules when strict application and enforcement would create a hardship. Some properties have unusual conditions: narrow lots, steep slopes, older structures, irregular parcel lines, or other physical constraints. A variance is a formal request for limited relief from a specific zoning requirement when applying the rule strictly would create a hardship" ([https://dekalbcountyga.gov/planning-and-sustainability/zoning/zba](https://dekalbcountyga.gov/planning-and-sustainability/zoning/zba?ref=dekalbcoalition.org)).

### *What is a Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) anyway?* 

"Land Disturbance Permits are required for site activities such as grading, clearing, excavation, or construction that may affect soil stability, stormwater, or environmental conditions" ([https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/planning-and-sustainability/land-development](https://dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/planning-and-sustainability/land-development?ref=dekalbcoalition.org)).