Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens this week expressed more opposition to a 4.5 million-square-foot data center that is proposed for Rock Mountain Lakes Road near McCalla, saying it could get in the way of Northern Beltline plans.

“If you look at the path of the Northern Beltline, the southern interchange overlays this particular district, in this area where they’re planning on building the data centers,” Stephens said. “I would ask that they (developers)n sit down with the administration of ALDOT and try to come up with (an alternative to affecting that) interchange.”

Stephens, who represents the district where the data center is proposed, said the roadway that would complete the interstate loop around Birmingham should rate more highly than the data center.

“If you look and see what (development) happens on I-459 and envision that going through the north part of Jefferson County, you would see the economic impact that far exceeds this particular project itself,” Stephens said.

The commissioner continues to support residents in his district who are opposed to the plan, citing among other concerns the potential for noise pollution and environmental effects .

The commission president said the data center project in Bessemer “is filled with flaws that I think need to be worked out before we proceed.

“I was elected by the people out there, and it’s my duty to represent those people,” he said. “That I will do. I will continue in opposition to it. Unfortunately, I do not have a vote on this. It’s all within the city limits of Bessemer. It’s going to be up to the City Council to do the right thing and to be able to protect all of these people (and keep them in) consideration.”

While a vote on the data center project has experienced delays, Stephens is confident it will proceed. Bessemer’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted this week to move the proposal to the full Bessemer City Council.

“I have no reason to believe that it will be delayed any further,” Stephens said. “I believe it was some procedural problems. Now that the procedural problems have been cured, it’s probably going to go pretty quickly.”

The data center would be near Rock Mountain Lakes and Rock Mountain Heights.