Columbia County announced that controlled blasting at the Greenpoint/Pumpkin Center site near Harlem was scheduled to begin October 22, 2026, and continue on alternating weekdays through December 30.
We examined local reporting, project approvals, development conditions, and economic projections to help Columbia County homeowners understand what’s happening in their community.
By Green Lawn Augusta, a locally owned lawn and landscape company based in Evans, Georgia. This article contains local analysis and opinion based on cited reporting and public information.
Columbia County Data Centers by the Numbers
Important: Pumpkin Center and White Oak are separate projects. Economic projections for Google’s development should not be attributed to Pumpkin Center.
Columbia County Data Center Project Timeline
- April 2025: Trammell Crow files a regional impact application for the White Oak campus near Appling.
- December 2025: The county adopts data center zoning rules. Rezoning applications include Pumpkin Center.
- January 15, 2026: The Planning Commission recommends approval of three proposed rezonings.
- February 3, 2026: County commissioners approve White Oak 5-0 and Pumpkin Center 4-1 while denying Byrd Farms 4-1.
- February 2026: A Harlem resident challenges the approved rezonings through legal proceedings.
- July 23, 2026: Columbia County announces a partnership involving Google and Georgia Power.
- August 26, 2026: Development officials advance an agreement involving at least $17 billion in investment.
- October 14, 2026: The school board discusses using future data center revenue for tax relief.
- October 22, 2026: The announced Greenpoint/Pumpkin Center blasting window begins.
- November 3, 2026: Voters are scheduled to consider the related property tax relief referendum.
How Commissioners Voted on Data Center Projects
In February 2026, Columbia County commissioners approved two projects and rejected one. Pumpkin Center was the only approved project with a dissenting vote.
Green represents a vote for approval; red represents a vote against approval. Source: February 2026 reporting from WRDW and The Augusta Press.
The 500-Foot Buffer: What Was Promised?
One of the biggest concerns surrounding Columbia County data center construction is the effect on existing neighborhoods, mature trees and roadside landscapes.
Reported conditions for the Pumpkin Center project include a natural roadway buffer of 500 feet and a landscaped berm of 12 feet.
How Much Did the Requirements Change?
Natural roadway buffer
Landscaped berm height
These conditions raise important questions: How much existing tree canopy must remain? Who verifies the buffer measurements? And will inspection results be available to residents?
What Does a 500-Foot Buffer Actually Look Like?
For perspective, an American football field including both end zones measures 360 feet long. A 500-foot natural buffer is approximately 1.39 times that distance.
Comparison illustrates length only, not the actual location or dimensions of a particular property boundary.
How Loud Could Columbia County Data Centers Be?
Local reports have referenced 65 dB and 70 dB property-line limits in connection with data center conditions. The enforceable limit should be confirmed against the approved documents for each project.
Everyday Sound Level Comparison
Illustrative everyday sound levels, not measured noise readings from any local data center. The decibel scale is logarithmic, and sound levels depend on distance, equipment and measurement conditions.
A critical distinction is duration. Lawn equipment is generally used intermittently, while data center equipment may operate continuously.
That makes the monitoring location, operating conditions and publication of actual readings important.
Greenpoint/Pumpkin Center Blasting Schedule
According to the county’s October 2026 announcement, controlled blasting was expected on alternating weekdays between October 22 and December 30.
What Should Nearby Homeowners Do?
Residents near the site can document unusual vibration, record dates and times of noticeable construction activity, and monitor official county notices for scheduling changes.
How Large Are the Data Center Proposals?
Development scale matters when considering tree preservation, construction traffic, stormwater management and changes in land use.
Reported proposal sizes. Byrd Farms was denied. Acreage figures do not represent total building footprint or actual tree clearing.
The Economic Argument: Could Data Centers Lower Property Taxes?
Supporters of the developments point to potential investment and property tax revenue. County leaders have discussed using future data center revenues to reduce the county portion of property taxes.
Reported property tax share of the county budget
Future data center revenue could provide financial benefits. But projections are not the same as collected revenue, and the amount an individual homeowner might save is not established by the percentage alone.
School, fire and bond taxes may be treated separately. Residents should review the exact terms of any approved tax relief measures.
Google-Related Economic Forecasts
A reported economic study associated with Google-related development included estimates for jobs, additional households and students.
These projections concern separate Google-related development and should not be represented as actual employment or economic outcomes from the Pumpkin Center project.
These figures have different units and should not be interpreted as directly comparable quantities.
Questions Columbia County Homeowners Deserve Answers To
The existence of questions does not establish that developers have violated any permits or conditions. But homeowners deserve transparent, verifiable information.
Homeowner Checklist: Protecting Your Property Near Construction
As a local lawn and landscaping company serving Evans, Grovetown, Harlem and the surrounding CSRA, we pay particular attention to soil conditions, mature trees, drainage and property maintenance.
- Document existing conditions. Take dated photographs of your foundation, driveway, retaining walls and major trees.
- Watch for unusual runoff. Photograph sediment accumulation or changes in drainage following storms.
- Monitor established trees. Changes to nearby grading, soil compaction and root zones can affect tree health.
- Record unusual noise and vibration. Note dates, times and observations.
- Review official notices. County announcements and approved plans are more reliable than rumors about construction schedules.
- Attend public meetings. Ask specific questions about permits, enforcement, inspections and neighborhood protections.
If construction runoff, soil compaction or related landscaping problems affect your property, learn more about our lawn care services in Evans, GA .
Our Take: Growth Should Come With Accountability
Columbia County deserves economic opportunity. Residents also deserve meaningful protections for the neighborhoods and landscapes that make this community attractive.
A buffer drawn on a development plan is not the same as verified preservation of existing trees. A noise limit is more meaningful when residents can understand how it is measured and enforced.
We believe the county should make approved landscape plans, inspection reports, blasting notices and operational noise measurements accessible to residents wherever those records are available for public release.
That’s not opposition to growth. That’s a reasonable expectation of transparency when large projects reshape local communities.
Sources & Further Reading
The following sources provide background on the project approvals, construction activity, developer agreements and environmental conditions.
- Columbia County, October 19, 2026: Greenpoint Data Center Blasting Notice
- WRDW, February 2026: Columbia County Data Center Approval Reporting
- The Augusta Press, February 2026: Columbia County Data Center Rezoning Decisions
- The Augusta Press, February 18, 2026: Pumpkin Center Land Disturbance Permit
- Columbia County, July 23, 2026: Google and Georgia Power Partnership Announcement
- WRDW, July 2026: County Data Center Rules and Noise Conditions
- DatacenterDynamics, July 2026: Google White Oak Campus Development
- WRDW, August 26, 2026: Columbia County $17 Billion Data Center Agreement
- WRDW, October 14, 2026: School Board and Potential Property Tax Relief
- WRDW, October 19, 2026: Harlem Data Center Blasting Coverage
- NIH National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Sound and Hearing Health Information