How Amazon Built a Data Center in a California Town Without Anyone Noticing
Amazon developed a $2 billion data center in Gilroy, California, with initial approval bypassing public scrutiny, leading to significant resident outrage. The project was approved by a single city staffer based on old zoning criteria, sparking concerns about transparency, water usage, and potential environmental impacts. In response to public backlash, the Gilroy City Council is now considering changes to its approval process for future large-scale developments, aiming for greater public engagement.
Residents in Gilroy, California, are expressing outrage over a $2 billion Amazon data center project that began construction without public meetings or votes. The facility, approved by a lone city staffer last July based on industrial zoning set 45 years ago, has sparked backlash among community members, including elementary-school teacher Coleen Crew and college student Landon Sepulveda, who only learned of the project after construction had started.
Mayor Greg Bozzo defended the approval, stating it followed standard processes for industrial parcels and that other major industrial projects have been approved similarly without uproar. However, he acknowledged the public's desire for more engagement, and the Gilroy City Council is now considering new proposals. These changes would require future large ventures, like data centers, to receive approval from the city's planning commission and mandate developers to hold community meetings and notify nearby residents.
Key concerns among residents include water usage in the drought-prone region and potential for battery fires. While Amazon Web Services Vice President of Economic Development Roger Wehner stated the project followed standard approval processes, he recognized the community's desire for earlier engagement. Amazon has committed to building a wastewater pipeline for the data center, provided tax revenue, construction jobs, and grants to the city and local nonprofits, but residents emphasize a desire for transparency and a voice in major developments over corporate sponsorships.