Jones County, GA (WGXA) — Jones County officials will hold the first public hearing to discuss plans for a potential data center on Highway 18 and Bethlehem Church Road - known as the "Crooked Creek Technology Park".

Homeowners are pushing back - hoping to stop the project before it gets off the ground.

Jones County has almost 220 years' worth of history - and with the re-zoning of 600 acres of land in just three weeks - it could write a new chapter in its books.

"I think such large, drastic changes to the landscape and the local environment is something that people from around here just aren't on board with," Dustin Riley, the founder of the "No Data Centers in Jones County" Facebook group, told WGXA Monday.

Riley's lived in Jones County for nearly 30 years and has gained over 1,500 members from his home area - and neighboring Wilkinson, Houston, Twiggs, and Monroe Counties.

"Really, giv[ing] people a chance just to come together, share their thoughts and concerns and get their thoughts together before any of these hearings happen," Riley said when asked why he created the group.

Plans for the Crooked Creek facility were submitted on Sept. 25th by Savannah-based Thomas & Hutton Engineering and Charlotte firm EagleRock Partners - the same firm behind a data center in Twiggs County.

Kathy Simmons moved into her "dream home" on Bethlehem Church Road last year from Putnam County.

She says she learned about the data center last week - and calls it 'violating.'

"You'll be able to see it from my backyard," Simmons said. "From my house, through the trees... And I'll definitely be able to hear it."

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She's also concerned about the impact on her property value.

The site plans show a 100-foot buffer between homes on her street and the center itself.

Birdie Faulkner, another nearby homeowner, says she feels more voices need to be in the picture.

"Any project of this magnitude should not be decided by 5 votes," she said. "It's too much of an expense and everybody needs to have a vote."

Alex Lefholz is looking to create a buffer of her own by invoking Georgia's "Home Rule" act.

Article 9 of the Georgia Constitution allows for a petition to be filed with signatures from 20% of the county's registered voters, allowing the rezoning vote to go to citizens.

Population data shows roughly 29,000 people in Jones County, meaning 4,488 signatures would need to hit paper.

Ahead of the big meeting, Lefholz still has one big question.

"Do they plan to continue to go to other large tracks of land in Jones County too?" Lefholz said. "Is this something that we're going to have to continue to fight or is this something the commissioners will have our back on?"

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She's also planning to host a "Pre-Hearing Opposition Gathering" this Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a variety of speakers to answer questions on homeowners' minds.

For now, the of the Crooked Creek property - and folks who call it home - remains up in the air.

"I've tried leaving since I graduated high school here," Riley said. "And I kept getting drawn back because no matter where else I go, anywhere in the state, anywhere in the country... This is home."

Approval of the project would mark the third data center in the last year, including Monroe County's Rumble Technology Campus and the aforementioned Pine Ridge Technology Park in Twiggs County.

WGXA contacted Ken Loeber, a partner at EagleRock Monday for comment; we were referred to a spokesperson - who acknowledged our request for comment and says they plan to send a statement soon.

Our requests for comment from local leaders also remain open.