Residents urge Caledonia trustees to slow data center rezoning, cite secrecy and low local jobs

Public comments at the Caledonia village meeting focused heavily on a proposed rezoning for a large data center, with several residents urging trustees to demand clearer information about who is behind the project and to pause action until the community can review proposals.

Janine Bartol, a resident, said the village has seen modest growth and warned against industrial expansion: "It has grown by 5,000 people," she said, adding, "I don't think it needs to grow industrial." Bartol repeated that residents have consistently opposed rezoning for this project.

Multiple commenters raised concerns that the developer and ultimate customer have not been identified. One public commenter said recent federal policy shifts and the use of shell companies have allowed projects to advance without adequate public notice, and urged trustees to insist on transparency so "people would then be aware, and be able to collaborate and unify." Another resident called the proposal a "red flag," arguing the village has received insufficient notice and that an anonymous developer shows "disrespect and arrogance." (Speakers are identified as they appear in the meeting record.)

Several speakers questioned the local benefits of the facility. One commenter estimated the site could be roughly 1,000,000 square feet across two buildings and said the customer would likely be a very large corporation; another warned of "concentration risk" from relying on a single major tenant and urged trustees to "be extremely cautious about this decision. Take your time. Learn as much as you can. Ask questions." Critics also said the project would produce construction noise, light pollution and wildlife loss while delivering relatively few local jobs: "In return, we get this facility that will employ maybe 20 to 22 people," a resident said.

Trustees and staff did not announce an approval of rezoning at this meeting. Several board members and staff reiterated that comprehensive-plan updates and a public-participation process are under way; staff said the Southeast Planning Commission is working as a consultant on the village's planning updates and public-engagement exercises that will inform land-use decisions.

The board did not take a final land-use vote on the data center rezoning during this session. Several residents asked the board to ensure broader notification and to defer substantive action until the village's planning and public-participation work can incorporate community input.