Amazon circumvents Gilroy community vote for AI data center
Amazon is proceeding with the construction of a data center in Gilroy, California, by utilizing decades-old zoning laws to bypass a modern community vote. Residents have expressed concerns regarding the project's impact on local resources, particularly water usage during droughts.
Why it matters
It illustrates the tension between rapid tech infrastructure expansion and local community governance, highlighting how corporations leverage legacy regulations to avoid contemporary public scrutiny.
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(Image credit: Getty Images ) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 15 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The community of Gilroy, California, about 30 miles southwest of San Jose, was surprised when an Amazon data center started construction in their town last month. But as many projects like these have been suffering from opposition and delays across the country , the Wall Street Journal reports that this specific site avoided scrutiny by adhering to local zoning rules set 45 years ago.
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