Piedmont Residents Raise Concerns Over Proposed Data Center | News 9
Piedmont residents are raising concerns over a proposed data center development, which has led to community pushback and a delayed vote by the Piedmont City Council on a rezoning request. A local family states the project could force them to leave their home, despite the developer's claims of being good corporate citizens and using a closed-loop water system. Residents have also submitted a petition for a data center moratorium or voter-approved guidelines.
Residents in Piedmont, Oklahoma, are voicing significant concerns regarding a proposed 633-acre data center development near Richland and Moffat roads. The Piedmont City Council has now discussed a related rezoning request three times without making a decision, delaying a vote to allow for further discussion. This comes amidst community pushback and a petition submitted by Piedmont members to create either a data center moratorium, a total ban, or voter-approved guidelines for such developments.
The proposed project has directly impacted Orson and Amy Barney, who live with four generations of their family on land bordering the development. They fear the data center could threaten their peace and quiet and ultimately force them to move from their home, which they have spent years building.
Aaron Billue, representing Cloverleaf, the data center company behind the proposal, stated that the company recently purchased 337 acres in Kingfisher County near the proposed Piedmont site. He highlighted the potential economic benefits, projecting over 1,000 construction jobs, 300 long-term jobs, and an estimated $13 million in additional tax revenue for the city or county. Billue also pledged that Cloverleaf would fund necessary infrastructure upgrades and commit to using a closed-loop system to minimize water usage. However, the Barneys remain unconvinced, feeling the company does not fully consider the human impact on their lives.
The council meeting regarding the rezoning request was still ongoing at the time of reporting, with city council members continuing to question Cloverleaf representatives. News 9 also reached out to the Kingfisher County Commissioners for their input but had not received a response. Separately, a group in Yukon, Oklahoma, has filed a petition to require a public vote on data center projects, as that city also considers plans for a new facility.