Long-awaited Westfield data center permit extension vote on Tuesday agenda
The Westfield Planning Board is scheduled to vote on a three-year extension of permits for Servistar Realties LLC's proposed data center campus near Route 202. Residents have opposed the extension, citing communication concerns and potential strain on the electric grid, while the city council's one-year data center moratorium does not apply to the project.
The Westfield Planning Board is scheduled to consider a three-year permit extension for Servistar Realties LLC's 155-acre data center campus near Route 202. The board postponed the vote in September after residents filled City Hall to protest the request; the project has been in development for about five years and officials say grid and electric-system work is underway.
Opponents argue that limited communication, potential grid strain and other concerns should lead to the project being scrapped. Westfield City Council has enacted a one-year moratorium on data center development, but the Servistar project is exempt from that pause.