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Residents press council to preserve Peabody complex and weigh health, economic impacts of data centers
Summary
During the public information period residents urged the council to preserve the historic Peabody High School complex as a community hub and expressed concerns about proposed data centers, citing potential air, noise and utility‑cost impacts; several speakers also sought more transparent budget planning around casino and property‑tax revenue.
Numerous residents used the public information period to press the Petersburg City Council on preservation, public‑health and development questions. Priscilla Lewis Carter, a Peabody alumna, urged the council to allow the Peabody Academic Learning and Development Center to assume custodial ownership and to restore the historic complex for multi‑use community purposes.
Other speakers focused on data centers. Constance Green said data centers can increase utility costs and produce emissions and noise from standby generators, and recommended the council proceed cautiously. "The impact of a data center causes health hazards and air pollution," she said, asking council to consider whether the city should welcome such uses in vulnerable neighborhoods. Bobby Beverly and others referenced neighboring localities' decisions to reject data center proposals and urged Petersburg's leadership to prioritize community health and equity.
Public commenters also raised neighborhood quality‑of‑life issues including treatment‑plant construction timing and road damage on Pocahontas Island, requests for project schedules and enforcement, and budget transparency for upcoming fiscal years and casino‑related revenue. Several speakers asked for more public engagement and for the administration to present clear estimates of projected new revenues before finalizing the FY27 budget.
