Pinal County Board of Supervisors rejects La Osa data center project

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors held an hours-long meeting in Florence where they ultimately voted 4 to 1 against the proposed La Osa data center project. The decision followed a presentation of the project and an extensive public comment period, with community members expressing both support and opposition.

The board's vote rejected two key items: the rezoning of 2,393 acres from general rural to I3 industrial, which would have allowed for data center buildings, a gas-fired power generation facility, battery energy storage, and associated facilities. Additionally, a planned area development zoning overlay on 3,385 acres for these uses, alongside 992 acres of open space, was also denied. The project, which had been delayed from a May 27th vote to allow for adjustments, was presented with a revised plan for 11 data center buildings, a cap on water use at 600 acre-feet annually, and 55 stipulations aimed at addressing concerns. However, the revised plan failed to satisfy many attendees and the board, who expressed uncertainty about the project's fit within Pinal County, despite remaining open to the industry in the future.