Gilroy residents question approval of Amazon data center; city council to discuss moratorium
A 438,500 sq ft Amazon data center in Gilroy, California, was approved without a city council vote, sparking significant resident opposition. Community members raised concerns about the lack of public input, environmental impact, and tax benefits, leading the Gilroy City Council to consider a moratorium on future data centers. The city also recently updated its code to require council approval for new data centers.
A massive 438,500-square-foot Amazon data center in Gilroy, California, valued at $2 billion, was approved with minimal public notice and no city council vote, sparking considerable outrage among residents. The project, which involved an Amazon Web Services facility, has become a focal point for community members questioning the transparency of local government processes.
The approval process began in 2020 with Amazon's zoning application for industrial land. Over three years, the project moved forward through a series of meetings and assessments, ultimately receiving a sign-off from the city's community development director without requiring a vote from the Gilroy City Council. This bypass of public input led residents, including 21-year-old Landon Sepulveda whose online campaign went viral, to accuse Amazon of exploiting a loophole in local regulations.
Amidst growing opposition, city council meetings have seen packed attendance with constituents demanding answers and advocating for a moratorium on future data center developments. Concerns include the facility's substantial water and power consumption, its visual impact, and the perceived lack of public benefit despite an anticipated $40 million in tax revenue over a decade. In response, the Gilroy City Council is set to discuss a data center moratorium and has already updated its code to mandate council approval for future data center projects.
This situation in Gilroy mirrors broader trends across California and the nation, where communities grapple with the rapid expansion of data centers, often with opaque approval processes. The video highlights a statewide lack of a centralized list of data centers and a general public opposition to their development, underscoring a growing demand for increased transparency and updated regulations to address these large-scale infrastructure projects.