Residents speak against data centers at Cleveland public hearing
Cleveland City Council held public hearings to gather resident input on new data centers, following an approved three-month moratorium on permits. Residents voiced strong concerns regarding electricity strain, water usage, pollution, and potential tax abatements for developers. The council will hold two more hearings as it considers the city's future policy on data center development.
Cleveland City Council held the first of three public hearings at the Collinwood Recreation Center to gather community input regarding the city's future stance on new, larger data collection facilities. Key areas of concern for residents, as outlined by Ward 13 Councilman Brian Kazy, who chairs the city council's utilities committee, include data centers' impact on power and water resources, and zoning and planning considerations. Ward 10 Councilman Mike Polensek noted that these concerns reflect broader statewide issues, particularly with "massive centers" in southern Ohio.
Residents, including Annie McAneny and Christopher Bold, voiced strong opposition, warning that hyperscale data centers could severely strain Cleveland's electric grid, leading to skyrocketing utility bills. They also highlighted significant water consumption, potential water and noise pollution for adjacent neighborhoods, and light pollution. McAneny and Bold were skeptical of claims that data centers solely fuel the AI boom, suggesting that AI companies have yet to prove profitability and that the primary beneficiaries are "billionaire developers." Robert Gatewood questioned whether developers were receiving tax abatements, promising a "large fight" if such incentives were in place.
Earlier this year, the Cleveland City Council enacted a three-month moratorium on new data center permits to facilitate information gathering and public consultation. As this moratorium nears its end, various perspectives were shared. Resident Terry McNeil suggested that data centers could act as a catalyst for economic development, utilizing unused industrial land for new manufacturing. However, opponents like McAneny and Julia Roberts cautioned against relying on developer-funded studies and urged the city to prioritize other industries over additional data center development.
The council has scheduled two more public hearings to continue collecting feedback: one at Cleveland City Hall and another at the Gunning Recreation Center, before determining its policy on future data center construction.