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Contractor and others urge regulation that balances innovation and local benefit
Summary
Abe Shaw, a contractor who described himself as a student of history, urged the council not to block technology and recommended negotiating mutual benefits, infrastructure investments, and requirements that applicants explain community benefits.
Abe Shaw, who identified himself as associated with a demolition and construction business in Pennsylvania, told the council that technology has a history of displacing some jobs while creating others and said the city should not reflexively ban data centers. "You can't fight technology, but you have to work to improve it," Shaw said, urging the city to set guardrails that require applicants to explain how the city and community will benefit and to consider options such as using waste heat for hospitals or greenhouses.
Shaw recommended regulation, transparency, and negotiation rather than prohibition, and urged that applicants be prepared to explain mutual benefits and to invest in local infrastructure where appropriate. He told the council that if siting is mutual and benefits accrue to the city and community, projects can move forward under clear conditions.
