Gilroy City Council to Consider Ban on Public Expression Amid Data Center Approvals, Transparency Concerns
Gilroy officials are facing scrutiny for lack of transparency regarding behest payments and public records, particularly concerning data center approvals. Amid public anger over a giant Amazon data center, the City Council is set to vote on a controversial rule that would permanently ban audible expressions of sentiment during public meetings. Environmental concerns over farmland loss and water usage for data centers are also prominent.
The Gilroy City Council is scheduled to vote on July 27 on a proposed regulation that would permanently prohibit audible expressions of sentiment during public meetings, a move seen by many as an attempt to silence residents amidst ongoing scrutiny of data center approvals. This comes after a June council meeting where the mayor warned attendees against clapping as residents expressed anger over an Amazon data center already under construction, and a second one planned.
Simultaneously, the city is under fire for obstructing access to public records, including behest payment disclosures related to data center approvals. Reporters from the Davis Vanguard encountered difficulties accessing these records for over 23 days. This follows a previous California Supreme Court ruling in January that found Gilroy violated the Public Records Act in a separate lawsuit concerning police body camera footage.
The article highlights environmental concerns detailed in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the first data center, which noted "significant and unavoidable" conversion of prime farmland. Water usage is also a major point of contention, with initial estimates of 7.5 million gallons annually contrasting with a later, smaller figure attributed to new technology. Residents are questioning the transparency of these figures and the rapid approval process for data centers, which was facilitated by existing industrial zoning and approved by city staff without a public council vote. A petition to ban future data centers has garnered over five thousand signatures, reflecting widespread opposition, particularly as a second data center moves toward approval.