Gilroy Refutes Charges that Parcels at Amazon Data Center Site Were Illegally Drawn
The City of Gilroy investigated claims that land parcels for an Amazon data center were illegally subdivided, concluding the adjustments complied with the California Subdivision Map Act. However, a local resident, Georgine Scott-Codiga, maintains the subdivision was illegal and has escalated her allegations to the district and state attorney generals' offices. The project's approval without planning commission or city council review continues to fuel community concern and calls for zoning reform.
A legal dispute has emerged over the land subdivision for an Amazon data center currently under construction in Gilroy, California. Local resident Georgine Scott-Codiga has filed a complaint with the Santa Clara County Recorder’s office and sent a demand letter to the City of Gilroy, alleging that the 2020 lot line adjustments on the 66-acre property, originally owned by Southpoint Business Park Associates, were conducted illegally under the California Subdivision Map Act. The largest parcel, approximately 56 acres, was subsequently sold to Amazon for its data center development.
In response, City Administrator Matt Morley announced that the City of Gilroy conducted an investigation, consulting with a licensed land surveyor, Christopher Vandrey of BKF. The city concluded that the lot line adjustments complied with the California Subdivision Map Act, as they did not alter the total number of parcels, a key criterion for compliance. City Attorney Andy Faber echoed this stance in his reply to Scott-Codiga, explaining that while lot lines were reconfigured, new parcels were not created in terms of increasing the total count. This interpretation meant the adjustments did not require review by the Planning Commission or City Council.
Scott-Codiga vehemently disputes the city’s findings, claiming "conspiracy, forged documents" and asserting that the land subdivision was improper, citing issues like newly assigned Assessor's Parcel Numbers. She plans to release a detailed response through her nonprofit, Americans For Transparency, and has escalated her allegations to the local district attorney’s office and the California attorney general’s office. The Amazon data center project has sparked significant community concern due to its approval process, which bypassed planning commission and city council review, prompting calls from the public and some councilmembers to reform Gilroy's zoning ordinances for similar future developments.