A proposed Google data center north of Sand Springs is facing growing opposition from residents who say the project threatens the area’s agricultural character and moves forward without their consent.
The project, known as Project Spring, would place a massive, multi-building data center on about 827 acres of land north of the city annexed by Sand Springs last summer. Google plans to use the site to house rows of computer servers, but nearby homeowners say the land should remain agricultural.
Residents, some of whom refer to themselves as “the people up north,” announced earlier this month they are pursuing a legal challenge aimed at overturning the annexation that brought the land into city limits.
Opponents again voiced concerns during a packed public meeting at Charles Page High School Tuesday night. Sand Springs City Council heard hours of public comment. Charley Pearson, a volunteer chief with the Rock Fire Department, urged city leaders to reconsider the project.
“There’s other ways to grow Sand Springs,” Pearson said. “You’re not listening to the people exactly, because we’ve tried to tell you this is not going to work, not for us.”
Several residents said they are frustrated that they cannot vote in Sand Springs elections, even though the city has the authority to rezone land adjacent to their homes.
Google defended the project at the meeting, with Public Affairs Manager Kate Franko describing data centers as a “golden ticket for communities across America.”
According to city and school officials, the proposed development would generate about $100 million in revenue for Sand Springs over 25 years and provide $1.1 million annually for the Sand Springs Public Schools building fund.
The Sand Springs City Council is scheduled to vote on the rezoning request for Project Spring next Tuesday.
