The debate over data centers grew heated at the Fayetteville City Council public forum on June 1, with residents from Fayetteville and surrounding communities voicing strong opinions and one attendee being escorted out.
In April, the council voted on a 120-day pause to gather information on data centers, temporarily halting discussions about moving forward with a public hearing during those four months, Mayor Mitch Colvin said during Monday’s meeting.
Council member Shaun McMillan submitted a formal request, ahead of the public forum, asking the council to direct staff to draft a possible moratorium ordinance on data centers. The motion died for lack of a second.
“We deserve to know what our data center means for our city, how it affects our quality of life, our water supply, our power grid, and our health.”
Despite the council not seeming ready to explore a moratorium, residents who oppose data centers came out in force. In total, 38 people signed up to speak during public comment, with the majority of them speaking in favor of a data center moratorium. Colvin attributed the public turnout at the forum to McMillan’s agenda request.
“Once the agenda went out and it had data centers, it brought people who had an interest in sharing their opinion about that,” Colvin told The Fayetteville Observer on June 2. “That’s what we saw last night; you’ve got a group that’s extremely passionate about it, concerned about it and then there were some people there just trying to gather more information or share information that they found.”
What did the public have to say?
The forum is typically an hour long, with each speaker given three minutes to address the council.
The crowd was lively, and many people came with signs expressing support for a moratorium. Some read “Slow Down. Do it Right. Vote Yes on a Moratorium” and “Energy For People Not Machines.”
Many speakers asked to work in tandem with the council, including hosting a public hearing specifically on a moratorium.
“Let the community come and be a part of this,” resident Angela Tatum said. “Whenever you don’t let the people that are going to be affected by the decisions that you make be at the table with you, you always stand the risk of harming them.”
Others spoke about data centers’ water and power usage, as well as the impact on the environment.
“Our quality of life depends on your forward-thinking action. Our people should always come before profits. You cannot have a thriving economy or a thriving society on a dead planet,” said Janelle Kimbro, another Fayetteville resident and director of Sustainable Sandhills.
“Is this what you wanted? When you don’t listen to your people, when you don’t share information, when you refuse to hold public hearings on data centers, this is what you’re going to get.”
Others asked for transparency.
“We deserve to know what our data center means for our city, how it affects our quality of life, our water supply, our power grid, and our health,” said Pastor Micaela Bryce of Covenant Love Church.
The crowd remained vocal throughout the forum, often cheering speakers who criticized data centers. As public comment time dwindled, speakers and audience members grew increasingly passionate in their remarks to the council.
“Is this what you wanted? When you don’t listen to your people, when you don’t share information, when you refuse to hold public hearings on data centers, this is what you’re going to get,” Lorena Murray said in reference to the energized crowd. “You need to hear from your people. You need to be with us. Together we can grow the city. We can’t grow it separate from you. We have to grow together. You can do this.”
Murray was initially the last speaker, but the council voted to hear from the remaining Fayetteville residents, specifically. McMillan attempted to pass a motion to extend the forum so everyone could speak, but it failed in a 2-8 vote, causing an uproar from the crowd.
One of the people who signed up for the forum, Elizabeth Gruesome, was escorted out of the building by security after objecting to not being able to speak.
Gruesome, owner of Breathless Arts Tattoo on Owen Drive, is a resident of Harnett County. Her business and family are located in Fayetteville. Gruesome said she was taken aback by the council’s decision to end the forum without listening to everyone.
Gruesome told The Fayetteville Observer on June 2 that the community wants the council to wait until they have the data and assurance that they’re not making a mistake by building a data center. Gruesome said it’s a “quality of life issue,” one that takes time.
What does the mayor have to say?
Colvin, on Tuesday, said of residents’ reactions, “It was an opportunity for people to express their opinion, and sometimes passionate issues get a little passionate, but that goes with the territory.”
He said that data centers are something Fayetteville has to face as a community. With the rise of technology, he says the council needs to figure out if it’s “going to be proactive or reactive to it.”
The mayor has been in support of data center investments, outlining the city’s need for economic growth and a larger tax base.
Coming up
The City Council isn’t the only local government entity considering guidelines on data centers.
Cumberland County held a public hearing in May, the first action required to enact a moratorium. Commissioners took no action during the meeting, but they are reviewing the information and plan to have further discussions with staff and the county attorney, Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere said at the hearing.
On Monday, Council member Deno Hondros sought council support for a public hearing on the proposed revised ordinances that place limitations and restrictions and add protections regarding data center storage and telecommunication facility developments.
The requested public hearing would focus on proposed ordinance changes that have not yet been incorporated into the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, not on data centers themselves or a potential moratorium, unlike the county hearing and McMillan’s request.
Colvin, on Tuesday, said that the planning commission was presented with the revisions to the UDO and has had its own public hearing. Its findings will be presented and explained to the council at a future meeting, giving residents a second opportunity to voice their support or opposition on the revised ordinances.
“It’ll provide the public the ability to make their comments about it. It’ll be just one more part of the process as we make some final decisions as a community about what we plan to do,” Colvin said.
The council will vote on Hondros’ request at its next regular meeting June 8.
Reporting by Coral Aponte, Fayetteville Observer / The Fayetteville Observer
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