Roseville has no data center proposal but it has a data center fight
Residents in Roseville, California, are actively opposing a proposed "innovation center" by Panattoni Development on the Phillip Road site, fearing it will house a large data center despite the city's claims. Concerns focus on electricity, water usage, and the environmental impact of backup diesel generators. The city is reviewing Panattoni's rezoning application, and state-level legislation regarding data centers is also in progress.
Residents of Roseville, California, are engaged in a dispute over a 240-acre parcel on Phillip Road, owned by the city, which developer Panattoni Development proposes to rezone for a mixed-use project including an "innovation center." Despite the city's assertion that no hyperscale data center is planned, residents like Josh Hickson and Rachel Davis, fueled by a Reddit post, express strong skepticism, citing Panattoni's data center division and environmental report details that assume a 30-megawatt data center requiring 15 diesel generators and 175 million gallons of recycled water annually. This opposition has caused Panattoni to withdraw an earlier plan and redesign the project, which is currently undergoing environmental review.
Concerns among residents mirror a national backlash against data centers, focusing on electricity strain, water consumption, noise, property values, and the transparency of the development process. State Senator Steve Padilla has introduced two bills aimed at regulating data centers in California, including making developers cover transmission costs and barring certain environmental exemptions. The Little Hoover Commission, a state oversight agency, also recommended state-level protections for customers of municipal utilities like Roseville's, highlighting disparities in oversight compared to investor-owned utilities.
The project's fate now rests with the Roseville Planning Commission and City Council, which will review Panattoni's application, with no decision date set. Residents continue to advocate for alternative land uses, such as a library or school, emphasizing the need for community infrastructure over industrial development in West Roseville.