'It's unacceptable': Arden resident voices concerns ahead of Project Tango zoning hearing
Arden residents in Palm Beach County, Florida, are actively opposing the proposed Project Tango AI data center, citing concerns over increased water usage and proximity to homes. Despite county-recommended conditions for developer PBA Holdings, residents plan to speak at an upcoming zoning hearing, viewing it as a crucial step in the project's approval process.
Plans for the controversial AI data center, dubbed Project Tango, are set to go before the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission for a critical approval step. Residents in the nearby Arden community remain concerned, despite project adjustments and county-recommended conditions for developer PBA Holdings.
Resident Ben Brown, who has lived in the community for years and has children at Saddle View Elementary, voiced his frustrations, highlighting a significant discrepancy in the project's reported water needs. Project Manager Ernie Cox initially claimed 5,000 gallons of water per day were needed, but the new proposal, under county conditions, now suggests 100,000 gallons daily. Brown expressed skepticism, stating, "Pardon my skepticism, but I would say I don’t believe either one of them. I don’t know what to believe."
Brown also raised concerns about low-frequency sounds and the data center's proximity to homes, asserting that experts, including the CDC, recommend a five-mile buffer, a standard he claims residents lobbied for with Senate Bill 48. He criticized county officials, including Commissioner Baxter and Palm Beach Planning and Zoning, feeling that residents were not represented or protected. The zoning board meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 9 AM, with residents planning to attend and voice their opposition.