County updates public meeting format on proposed Imperial Data Center project

The County of Imperial announced a special board meeting for March 26, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in El Centro to discuss the proposed Imperial Data Center Project. This decision follows community feedback requesting the Board of Supervisors' direct involvement, after an initial town hall format prevented their participation due to constraints from California’s Brown Act, which aims to prevent unlawful "serial" meetings. The meeting will serve as an informational session, featuring a presentation from the project applicant and an opportunity for public comment. County staff will also be available to address questions regarding county processes. Importantly, the Board of Supervisors will not take any action or express positions on the project during this meeting, as it remains an active application requiring their impartiality for future land use decisions. The county emphasized that while supervisors must remain impartial at this stage, they will eventually act on specific project components as they come before the Board in properly noticed future meetings. This revised approach aims to balance community engagement with compliance with state law and the Board's need for impartiality.