Commission urges council to deny Cloverleaf plan; Beltline Energy vote delayed for review
The Piedmont Planning Commission recommended denying a rezoning request for Cloverleaf's proposed 630-acre data campus due to resident concerns and potential impacts. A vote on Beltline Energy's 321-acre data center proposal was deferred. Both projects are planned for land currently designated for agriculture.
Residents in Piedmont, Oklahoma, packed a Planning Commission meeting to discuss competing proposals for large data centers on agricultural land. Houston-based Cloverleaf sought to rezone 630 acres for a data campus, while Atlanta-based Beltline Energy (also identified as BLE Landholdings) proposed a data center on 321 acres.
Cloverleaf's Chief Development Officer, Aaron Bilyeu, highlighted the project's potential to create up to 300 jobs and described its closed-loop cooling system as having no ongoing water consumption. He stated the company would cover infrastructure costs and selected the site due to its proximity to the Matheson substation, capable of supporting the proposed 1.5 gigawatts of power. Bilyeu also addressed noise and light pollution concerns, requesting an increase in the nighttime noise threshold from 50 to 60 decibels.
Piedmont's Community Development Director, Julie Steele, toured a hyperscale data center in Atlanta, owned by BLE Landholdings, which at full buildout consumes 1.2 gigawatts of electricity. Following extensive discussion, the Piedmont Planning Commission recommended that the City Council deny Cloverleaf's rezoning request. The commission deferred a recommendation on BLE Landholdings' proposal for industrial development until a comprehensive plan analysis is completed.