Ahwatukee Residents Intensify Opposition to Planned Data Center
Residents in Ahwatukee, a village in Phoenix, are actively protesting a planned 1-million-square-foot data center by Menlo Equities, raising concerns about zoning, noise, air quality, water, and electrical infrastructure. Despite their significant efforts, Phoenix city officials maintain the project is properly zoned and has received necessary approvals, including preliminary site plan approval and ratification by the City Council.
Residents in Ahwatukee, a village within Phoenix, Arizona, have formed the Ahwatukee Community Alliance, a nonprofit group, to protest a proposed 1-million-square-foot data center by California-based Menlo Equities. The project, located at 48th Street and East Thistle Landing Drive, has received preliminary site plan approval from Phoenix officials, with the City Council ratifying related decisions in March 2024.
The Alliance, comprising local residents like chair Craig Evans, argues that the project's classification and processing were flawed, questioning why it didn't require new rezoning and whether new city data center regulations should apply. They have submitted extensive documentation to the Phoenix Planning and Development Department, detailing concerns about potential code violations, noise, air quality, water usage, and the storage of diesel fuel for the facility's over 120 generators. City officials, however, contend the property is properly zoned for a data center based on a 1996 zoning decision and is grandfathered from newer regulations adopted in 2025. They also state that many anticipated violations cannot be definitively evaluated until the center is built and operational.
Despite ongoing protests and a petition with over 3,670 signatures, the permitting process for the data center continues, with final site plans, plats, and initial construction permits already approved. The Alliance, while discussing litigation as a last resort, emphasizes its goal to secure transparency and a direct dialogue with Menlo Equities and Phoenix officials regarding the project's impacts on their community.