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Residents urge scrutiny on data centers, criticize project notice and street work
Summary
Public commenters told council to scrutinize proposed data centers for limited local jobs and automation risks, and urged better neighborhood notice after unexpected street work damaged trees and gardens.
During the public-comment portion of the meeting, residents raised concerns about proposed data centers and about the city's communications for capital-improvement projects.
Julia Seidlinger told the council she had researched data centers and concluded they provide few local, long-term jobs and rely heavily on automation and remote workers. "This does not sound like the job growth the city needs," she said, urging scrutiny of local incentives and utility commitments. Eve Kirk described unexpected heavy equipment on her street that damaged trees, sidewalks and perennial gardens and asked for 24-hour notice and better contractor customer service when the city schedules work in neighborhoods.
Council thanked speakers and noted staff would follow up; the public comments were taken into account as the council debated data-center policy later in the meeting.
