Amazon Data Center Proceeds in Gilroy, California, Using Old Zoning Rules, Sparking Opposition
Residents of Gilroy, California, are dismayed by an Amazon data center project that they claim proceeded without public knowledge or planning scrutiny, utilizing 45-year-old zoning rules. Active opposition has formed against the development, citing a breakdown of trust between citizens and city administrators. The city and Amazon defend the project by highlighting economic benefits and addressing water use concerns.
Citizens of Gilroy, California, are expressing dismay over the construction of an Amazon data center, which they contend advanced without adequate public notification or scrutiny. Residents, including college student Landon Sepulveda and elementary school teacher Coleen Crew, learned of the project only after construction had begun, leading to accusations of a trust issue with city administrators.
The project, spanning 56 acres of farmland, reportedly circumvented public planning review by utilizing 45-year-old city zoning rules originally intended for industrial development along a freeway. Despite this, Amazon maintains that the project "followed standard approval processes," according to Roger Wehner, VP of economic development for Amazon Web Services.
Mayor Greg Bozzo of Gilroy has addressed public concerns by likening the data center to a recently approved food distribution center and emphasizing the city's need to "adapt to the times." Both Amazon and the city council are highlighting the project's advantages, such as job creation, tax revenue, and a provision to divert wastewater to the data center, alongside a $1 million donation for a new city fire truck and contributions to local non-profits and the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Organized opposition is ongoing, despite these assurances, reflecting widespread public disappointment over the perceived lack of transparency.