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Gilroy residents press council for moratorium on data centers and to oppose nearby ICE facility
Summary
Dozens of public commenters urged Gilroy—s City Council to adopt a moratorium or a dedicated data-center ordinance and to join litigation opposing a nearby ICE detention facility, citing transparency gaps, water and noise concerns, and community safety.
Dozens of residents and advocates used the council—s public-comment period on July 27 to press elected leaders for stronger restrictions on future data centers and to ask the city to join legal opposition to a planned U.S. Department of Homeland Security detention facility near Gilroy.
"There has been a lack of information," said Charlene Puder, a Gilroy resident, who criticized a new city webpage she said appeared to rely on material from Amazon and asked whether promised protections include enforceable penalties. Multiple speakers raised similar transparency concerns and asked the council to adopt either an immediate moratorium or a standalone data-center ordinance with objective development standards.
Landon Sepulveda, speaking for a group of residents, urged a moratorium and said another Amazon site is already in early stages: "With November coming up, it is time you show that you are listening," he said. Environmental and community advocates echoed that call: Dash Sheel Leeds, conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club Loma Prieta chapter, told the council that enforceability is the key problem and that confidentiality around utility data limits the city—s ability to police energy and water use.
Several speakers also connected the data-center debate to a separate but related public concern: opposition to a proposed ICE detention facility. Student activist Jonathan said the facilities are linked and described the detention center as a hazard to immigrant communities. "We highly urge the council to show their solidarity with the community by joining the lawsuit," he said, citing a $226,500,000 lease figure for the DHS project.
Speakers pressed specific regulatory changes: a local decommissioning bond to cover abandonment costs, objective caps on building size, electrical and water consumption limits, and independent noise and infrasound studies. Michelle, who said she—d measured noise levels near similar facilities, argued thresholds used in prior approvals may understate low-frequency impacts.
The council did not take formal action on any of the requests during the meeting. Mayor Greg Bozzo told the meeting that staff and the planning commission are working on amendments and that agenda sequencing and legal constraints shape what the city can act on immediately. The public comment block closed after roughly 12 speakers.
