Effingham County, Georgia residents sue over the zoning ordinance that cleared the way for Project Camellia

What happened

Three Effingham County residents sued the county Thursday, seeking to void the zoning ordinance that opened industrial land to data centers ahead of OpenAI's Project Camellia campus. The 14-page complaint, filed in Effingham County Superior Court by Dr. Michelle Finch-Mincey, Lehman Mincey Jr. and Raymond Carver, argues Ordinance 2026-352 — given final approval August 4, 2026 — skipped the public hearings state law and the county's own rules require before the Planning Board and the Commission, and that the county manager signed a non-disclosure agreement blocking disclosure of a deal negotiated "behind closed doors" before its July 26 announcement. Plaintiffs seek a declaration the ordinance is invalid, an order blocking further county action on it, and attorney's fees under Georgia's Open Meetings Act. This is an allegation in a freshly filed complaint, not a ruling — no court has found for either side yet. (WTOC, Effingham Herald)

Sources 2

WTOC wtoc.com solid 0.665
Effingham Herald effinghamherald.net unrated

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