Residents of one California town cause developer to withdraw local data center proposal
A developer, Eight Form, withdrew its proposal for a massive data center in El Segundo, California, after significant community opposition. Residents voiced concerns about excessive power use, noise, pollution, and the adequacy of a 24-year-old environmental report for the project. The withdrawal occurred during a public hearing before the Planning Commission could vote.
Developer Eight Form withdrew its proposal to construct a nearly 240,000 square-foot, five-story data center in El Segundo, California, following strong community opposition. The project, intended to replace an existing Hyatt Place hotel, was met with an outpouring of public comments during a Planning Commission meeting, citing concerns over power consumption, noise, pollution, and water usage.
Eight Form founder Arjun Shokeen announced the withdrawal after hearing nearly 60 residents speak against the project, stating, "I've heard the community loud and clear." Residents also argued that the environmental impact report from 2002, part of the city's Corporate Campus Specific Plan, was outdated and insufficient for a data center proposal of this scale, which was not originally anticipated in the plan.
Despite the city's environmental consultant, Rita Garcia from Kimley Horn, stating the data center would use less water than the current hotel and be quieter due to enclosed generators, residents remained unconvinced. Concerns also included the proximity to a school district and the potential strain on the electrical grid during heatwaves. The community activist group Sea Change highlighted the outcome as a testament to residents' ability to influence local government decisions.