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Resident warns data/AI centers may harm Ashland's quality of life
Summary
Claudia Burgess told the commission she is strongly opposed to proposed data/AI centers near the riverfront, citing expected noise, lights and heat impacts; commissioners said a moratorium and planning review were used to develop the current draft ordinance.
Claudia Burgess, an Ashland resident who used the public-comment slot, told commissioners she loves the city and worries that proposed AI/data centers would harm neighborhoods and the riverfront.
At the podium Burgess said she had traveled and seen data centers elsewhere and described her concerns bluntly: "Nothing good comes out of their mouth." She raised specific worries about continuous noise, night lighting, and heat and said those effects could deter new doctors and businesses from locating nearby. Commissioners acknowledged the concern, noting the city had placed a moratorium in February and turned the issue over to planning staff for a careful text amendment.
City leaders and staff said the draft ordinance attempts to address those concerns with measurable protections (setbacks, noise caps, buffer and decommissioning requirements) and that the Board of Zoning Adjustments would conduct conditional-use review with the option to hire outside technical consultants at the applicant’s expense.
