Griffin Approves New Rules for Data Centers, American Business Women’s Association Donation, and What's Happening in Griffin This Week.
Griffin Grapevine
June 08, 2026
Good morning, Spalding County!
I honestly don’t know what’s more impressive this week: the number of things happening around town or the number of local government meetings on the calendar.
If you’ve never been to a government meeting before, this would be a good week to try one. Pick one from the list, show up, and just see how it works. You don’t have to speak. You don’t have to know every issue on the agenda. You can sit in the back, listen, and get a better feel for how decisions get made around here.
That kind of thing matters more than people realize. When nobody shows up, there’s no real feedback loop. Local boards and officials end up making decisions in quiet rooms with very little sense of what regular residents think, notice, or care about. That’s not always anyone’s fault, but it does create a gap.
A community works better when people are paying attention, even quietly. And with this many meetings happening in one week, Spalding County is giving you plenty of chances to start.
- Chad
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Griffin has approved new rules for data centers inside city limits, adding a layer of local review before any such project can move forward. The City of Griffin Board of Commissioners voted May 26 to amend the Unified Development Code, allowing data centers only by special use permit in Planned Industrial Districts. The change comes after the city placed a 180-day moratorium on data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations, and similar technology facilities earlier this year while staff reviewed how to regulate them. Under the new rules, data centers must meet requirements tied to distance from homes, buffers, noise, lighting, generators, water use, energy use, stormwater, sewer, and eventual decommissioning. Large campus-style data centers are not allowed. Even with a special use permit, a developer would still need a development agreement with the city before breaking ground.
The American Business Women’s Association Iris Chapter donated $9,500 to the Salvation Army and several containers of laundry detergent pods to First United Methodist Church’s Turning the Tide Laundry Ministry during its “Good Clean Fun” event on June 2. Held at Cronic Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, the event brought together local business leaders, nonprofit representatives, and ABWA members to support organizations serving residents in need around Griffin. The Salvation Army plans to use the funds to continue strengthening its local youth programs, including summer camp opportunities for children and additional enrichment activities. Turning the Tide Laundry Ministry, which has served homeless and low-income residents for more than a decade, will use the detergent to continue providing laundry services on Friday evenings at the Maytag Laundromat on 13th and Solomon streets.
Beezly - Male - 1 year old
Spalding County Animal Care & Control
Monday opens with two local government meetings. At 5:00 PM, the meets in the City Council Meeting Room at 100 South Hill Street for its monthly public update on the Griffin-Spalding Airport. At 6:00 PM, the is also due to meet. Orchard Hill’s municipal listing places council meetings on the second Monday at 6:00 PM, and June 8 is the second Monday of the month.
Tuesday is the busiest day on the calendar. The morning starts at 8:15 AM with the meeting in the Municipal Court room at 100 S. Hill Street, a meeting to watch for downtown development and redevelopment matters. At 10:00 AM, the meets at the EMA Administrative Complex, 1005 Memorial Drive, for a public-safety working session focused on responder safety, best practices, training, and incident response coordination.
Tuesday evening has two major public meetings running at the same time. The convenes at 6:00 PM at One Griffin Center, 100 South Hill Street, for its regular commission meeting. Also at 6:00 PM, Spalding County holds its at the Kiwanis FairGrounds, 1025 South Hill Street, where county leaders are scheduled to share updates, discuss key issues, and take questions from residents.
Wednesday is lighter, but there is still one authority meeting worth noting. At 9:00 AM, the Spalding County Water Authority Finance Committee is listed on the authority’s 2026 committee schedule. The schedule identifies the Finance Committee as a second-Wednesday meeting and notes that a quorum of the Water Authority is expected at committee meetings, making this the meeting to watch for water-system finance, rates, or capital-project funding matters.
Thursday picks back up with four meetings. The day starts at 8:00 AM with the at 109 East Solomon Street, a key stop for economic-development activity. At 5:30 PM, the meets. The city describes this group as an advisory body that makes recommendations to the City Commission on policies and procedures for preserving and protecting natural resources. At 6:00 PM, two county meetings overlap: the is posted for its 6:00 PM meeting, and the Spalding County Board of Appeals also falls on its regular second-Thursday meeting slot at 6:00 PM in Room 108 of the Courthouse Annex, 119 E. Solomon Street.
Monday & Thursday: Carver (610 Carver Rd) and Woodroof (4245 Old Atlanta Rd) 11am-7pm
Tuesday & Friday: Blalock (5756 Newnan Rd) and Cabin (3865 Jackson Rd)
11am-7pm
Saturday: All centers open 7am-1pm (plus Akin for bulky items only)
Sunday & Wednesday: Closed
Got big stuff? The Akin Collection Center (841 S McDonough Rd) is for bulky items only—no regular household garbage. Open Saturdays 7am-1pm.
All centers closed on county holidays.
Chess Club for Kids and Adults
When: Monday, June 8, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
What: A library chess night for kids and adults. Registration is not required.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223.
Patriotic Wreath Craft for Teens and Adults
When: Monday, June 8, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
What: A hands-on library craft program for teens and adults to make a patriotic wreath. Registration is not required.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223.
Georgia AG Experience – Touch a Truck & More
When: Tuesday, June 9, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
What: A library Summer Reading Program event featuring the Georgia AG Experience and “Touch a Truck & More.”
Where: Spalding County Parks & Recreation office parking lot, 843 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223.
When: Tuesday, June 9, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
What: A Griffin-Spalding Chamber networking walk combining light exercise with outdoor relationship-building. The listing says all fitness levels are welcome.
Where: Tyus Park, 1301 Cowan Road, Griffin, GA 30223.
Dinosaurs: A Million Years of Stories
When: Wednesday, June 10, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
What: A dinosaur-themed library/Summer Reading Program event.
Where: Fairmont Community Center, 241 Blanton Avenue, Griffin, GA 30223.
Business Networking Lunch
When: Wednesday, June 10, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
What: A casual networking lunch listed by the Griffin-Spalding Chamber. Attendees can enjoy lunch and make business/community connections.
Where: The Garden Beer Garden, 314 East Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223.
Family Storytime @ the Library
When: Wednesday, June 10, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
What: A family storytime program at the library.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223.
Grief Support Group
When: Thursday, June 11, 1:00 PM
What: Fifty Forward / Spalding County Senior Center lists its Grief Support Group for the second Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM. June 11 is the second Thursday.
Where: Spalding County Senior Center / Fifty Forward, 885 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223.
D&D Club
When: Thursday, June 11, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What: A Dungeons & Dragons club meeting listed on the library event calendar. Registration is not required.
Where: Griffin-Spalding County Library, 800 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30223
Comedy Night: Open Mic Night at Tipsy Daisy
When: Thursday, June 11, 8:00 PM
What: Tipsy Daisy is hosting a comedy open mic night featuring host Link Henderson and comedians from around the region, including comics seen on The Punchline, The Laughing Skull, and Helium Comedy Club. The evening also features special guest COSMIN. Anyone who has wanted to try stand-up is invited to join in, and everyone else can come out for a night of laughs.
Where: Tipsy Daisy, 132 South Hill Street, Griffin, GA 30223
Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.
81° 🌡️ 71° | 🌧️ | 75% | W 4 mph
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86° 🌡️ 69° | 🌤️ | 15% | S 3 mph
88° 🌡️ 71° | 🌧️ | 25% | SW 4 mph
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