Dozens of people are continuing to ask the Gilroy City Council to make it harder for data centers to come to town.
During a rowdy meeting Monday night, several outspoken attendees clashed with Mayor Greg Bozzo.
”Come on," the mayor said, "Hey, watch your language, please."
"Shame," someone called out in response.
The Gilroy City Council chambers were filled with people holding anti-data center signs, and 17 of the 21 people who spoke during open public comment opposed data center development.
Britt Smith is one of the lead organizers with the Stop Gilroy Data Center group. Ahead of the meeting, she explained a 1981 ordinance made it possible for the first phase of an Amazon data center to be green-lit without city council approval or community input.
"Our biggest problem is that the letter of the law is not correct," Smith said. "It is not adequate for our community—what we need in terms of transparency and accessibility."
This was the first meeting since the COVID-19 lockdown where virtual attendees could sign up for public comment.
As one data center heads toward phase two of development, many residents are concerned with the approval process for future projects that raise sustainability and environmental issues.
And, Amazon owns more land in Gilroy.
Next month, the city council is expected to vote on whether to change the approval process for projects with large environmental footprints.
Food-borne illness outbreak continues
Health officials say the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak shouldn’t discourage people from eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
“ Even though this is a big outbreak, the vast majority of food moving through our system—of produce moving through our markets—is not part of this outbreak,” said Craig Hedeberg, a public health professor at the University of Minnesota.
Officials recommend following recall notices and public health guidance while continuing to eat a balanced diet.
Hedberg made his comments during a SciLine webinar for reporters on Tuesday.
