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Resident urges caution on proposed data centers, flags water, power and scale concerns
Summary
Greg Garcia told the Oakley City Council he is worried proposed 3,000,000-square-foot data center projects lack committed clients and could strain water and electrical infrastructure; he called Planning Commission review insufficient and said many residents oppose data centers in Oakley.
Greg Garcia spoke during public comment to urge caution about proposed large data center projects and their potential impacts on Oakley. He questioned whether the infrastructure — particularly recycled water availability and electrical capacity — can support facilities he described as up to 3,000,000 square feet.
"If data centers were to go in there, the water issue, recycling of water, if a data center would go in there, the amount of water they would use, we don't know if it will be able to handle that," Garcia said, expressing skepticism that developers had secured clients before seeking rezoning. He described the scale as "like 10 Costcos" and said the Planning Commission hearing felt incomplete.
Garcia also said he believes "the public does not want data centers in this city," and urged the council to consider environmental, water and air impacts raised during Planning Commission review.
Council member Fuller later corrected an audience impression that the Planning Commission can rezone property, noting the council — not the commission — is the body that grants rezoning and that the council must act by a supermajority in some rezoning matters.
The council did not take action on the land-use item at the meeting; the comment was recorded as part of the public-record hearing process.
