Amazon Data Center Approved Without Public Vote in California

May 11, 2026 – Community opposition is mounting in Gilroy after residents learned that a large Amazon data center project was approved without a public vote or city council hearing.

The project, proposed by Amazon Data Services, was approved last year by Community Development Director Sharon Goei following a multiyear environmental review process.

Under Gilroy’s zoning code, data centers are permitted uses within the city’s M2 General Industrial district and only require an Architectural and Site Review Permit issued at the staff level. 

Because the site has been zoned for industrial use since 1981, no rezoning or General Plan amendment was required, allowing the project to bypass both the Planning Commission and City Council entirely. 

“No public hearing was required,” the city said in a public fact sheet explaining the approval process. 

Residents say many people were unaware of the project until construction plans were already advancing, leaving little opportunity for organized opposition.

The fifty-six acre plot of land, directly east of US-101, is in close proximity to active farmland, Gilroy's outdoor outlet shopping mall, and health centers. The proposed center includes 3 buildings, 2 for the data center itself and 1 as a security building, totaling 438,500 square feet.

The backlash comes as concerns surrounding large-scale data center development continue to grow nationwide.

In April, panelists at Data Center World said hyperscalers such as Amazon were not doing enough to educate communities or address public concerns surrounding the environmental and infrastructure impacts of data centers.

In Gilroy, opposition has increasingly organized around those concerns. A petition launched by resident Landon Sepulveda calling on the city to amend its zoning ordinance and prohibit future data center construction has gathered more than 5,000 signatures.

The petition argues the current zoning process allows large-scale developments with major environmental and infrastructure impacts to move forward without meaningful public debate.

Sepulveda is a part of a local coalition called ‘Stop Gilroy Data Center Now’ which has continued to protest against the project to local officials 

These officials maintain the project complies with local law and environmental regulations. According to the city’s fact sheet, the proposal underwent a full environmental impact report review beginning in 2022, including public comment periods and technical studies examining air quality, fire safety, noise and agricultural impacts. 

Mayor Greg Bozzo has noted that the property has long been designated for industrial development under Gilroy’s General Plan.

Still, backlash continues to grow as residents question how local zoning laws allow major infrastructure developments to move forward with limited public oversight.