Georgia Energy Company to Pitch Project to Luther Town Board

An Atlanta-based company named Beltline Energy is appearing at the Luther Town Board of Trustees’ meeting Thursday evening with a presentation “regarding potential location of a project within the Town of Luther, related discussion and introduction of the project to the Board of Trustees.”

Raise your hand if you’ve been reading up. Beltline’s website mentions solar power, real estate development, and data centers. If you did an internet search on “what is a data center?” – it’s likely a data center helped give you the information faster than you could peck out your opinion on social media. 

While Beltline facilitates data centers – the facilities that house massive computer servers that store, process information, and make AI possible – their emphasis is also on solar farms, with more than 60, most of which are located in Georgia. Two of their largest solar farms are in Texas, spanning over 275 acres each. Luther’s town limits only stretch across 15 miles, while most of it is zoned for agricultural use. 

The meeting is an invitation for Luther to research, listen, and engage in discussion.

Long-Awaited Zoning Review

Incidentally, a zoning review for the town has been on the back burner for several years due to various reasons, one of which is that the work is time-consuming and requires sustained, dedicated attention from volunteers who serve on the Planning Commission. Three Planning Commission spots are vacant, and the elected Town Board is expected to consider interested applicants at Thursday’s meeting. The Luther Planning Commission would likely be the first bureaucratic stop for any proposed project that requires a zoning variance for a business or industrial use on land zoned for agricultural or residential.

Budget Time

Meanwhile, the Special Meeting also includes discussion on the town’s budgets for the next fiscal year. It’s crunch time for the board and staff to present a proposed budget, conduct a public hearing, and approve it before the end of June. Last year, the town operated on about $1.7 million, while the Public Works Authority’s operating budget was in the range of $525,000.

Meeting Details:

• Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
• 108 S Main, Luther, OK
• Agendas: Board of Trustees, Public Works Authority, Economic Development Authority