With a contentious data center proposal looming over Tuesday’s local elections and a pivotal City Council hearing approaching Nov. 9, a new national poll suggests the debate unfolding in Monticello is part of a much broader wave of opposition.
Nearly three-quarters of American voters — 72% — oppose new artificial intelligence data centers in their communities, according to an Ipsos poll conducted for The Washington Post and ABC News released Oct. 20.
The findings come ahead of Monticello’s Nov. 3 mayoral and City Council elections, in which the proposed Monticello Tech data center has emerged as a significant issue.
Less than a week after the election, the City Council will hold a Nov. 9 public hearing on the proposed 3 million-square-foot data center campus on approximately 550 acres south of 85th Street NE and east of Highway 25.
The proposal has generated considerable public debate over electricity demand, water consumption, noise, land use and the potential effects on nearby property owners — concerns that mirror those being raised in communities across the country.
The national poll does not measure sentiment in Monticello, but its findings provide a broader perspective on an issue that has become increasingly contentious as technology companies pursue large-scale developments to support artificial intelligence.
The Monticello Planning Commission recommended approval of the project’s conditional use permit, rezoning and preliminary plat applications on a 4-1 vote Oct. 6, following a public hearing that drew approximately 150 people.
The City Council’s Nov. 9 hearing begins at 6 p.m. at the Monticello Community Center.
The article outlines major historical timeline and events related to data centers in Monitcello.