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Residents press Nutley commissioners for transparency and safeguards as data‑center talk surfaces
Summary
Several residents asked the Nutley Board on June 4 to hold a town hall and clarify plans after a sign appeared at a potential site; commissioners said no application is pending, zoning allows certain data‑center uses, and the board will study impacts including water, power, noise and traffic.
At the public‑comment portion of the June 4 meeting, several Nutley residents pressed the Board of Commissioners for more transparency and for a public forum about a proposed data‑center use on a site in town.
Rob Garber told the board that residents are anxious after seeing a sign announcing a data center and asked, “what is the current status of the data center proposed for Nutley?” Mayor Kelly replied, “the current status is that we do not have an application. There's nothing pending before any of the boards of the town.”
Garber and other speakers urged an informational town hall so residents can ask questions about evaluation criteria, potential impacts and who will assess proposals. A resident who identified herself as Renee cited cases nationwide where neighbors reported continuous low‑frequency hums, brown water and added energy and water demand; she asked the board to consider delaying action until nearby projects and policy changes are clearer.
Mayor Kelly and commissioners said they are tracking statewide proposals and guidance and that zoning allows certain data‑center uses at the site but “that does not mean that it’s a guaranteed use,” Kelly said. The mayor and Commissioner Scarpelli emphasized the range of data‑center types and sizes — from small one‑megawatt facilities already operating in Nutley to much larger AI‑scale projects — and said the board will evaluate proposed projects’ power efficiency, water consumption, noise, traffic and property‑tax ratables before any approval.
Commissioner Scarpelli noted differences in scale, saying the large Vineland project cited by a resident is on a 100‑acre site and is not comparable to the 11‑acre location under discussion in Nutley. The board signaled it will consult its town attorney and other experts as needed and that public comment and forums would be appropriate once an application or further details are available.
No formal action was taken; commissioners moved into closed session later in the meeting to discuss litigation and contract negotiations.
