Data center rumors spark protest in Sahuarita
Residents in Sahuarita, Arizona, are actively protesting a rumored data center development, expressing concerns about potential negative impacts on property values, the environment, and noise levels. While town officials state no formal application has been filed, discussions about the land's zoning for data centers and potential code amendments are ongoing. Protesters are urging local government and property owner Jeremy Sharpe to address their grievances.
Dozens of Sahuarita residents gathered at the corner of South La Cañada Drive and West Sahuarita Road to protest widespread rumors of a potential data center development. The protest follows reports that Rancho Sahuarita owner Jeremy Sharpe has been in discussions with data center developers.
The core grievances of the protesters, organized by pastor Randy Mayer, center on fears that a data center would devalue properties, generate excess heat, disturb native wildlife, and create significant noise pollution, citing a data center in Dowagiac, Michigan, as an example of disruptive hum. Protesters criticized Sharpe for unresponsiveness and accused the Mayor and Town Council of disregarding community concerns and being influenced by Sharpe.
Town officials, including Town Manager Shane Dille, have repeatedly assured residents that no official application for a data center has been submitted. However, concerns escalated after Sharpe previously requested confirmation that the 221 acres west of Interstate 10, zoned for "park industrial," would permit a data center under a 1996 specific plan.
The town's Community Development Department reportedly advised Sharpe that data center development might be grandfathered in, a conclusion Mayer disputes, arguing that data centers were unforeseen in the 1990s. While the town is developing a new code amendment specifically for data centers, Dille stated that these new regulations would not supersede existing zoning or development entitlements for properties under specific plans like Rancho Sahuarita.