Photo from Oak Tree website
The Oak Tree residential rental community in Chelsea, Alabama
The Chelsea City Council on Tuesday plans to vote on whether to enact a one-year moratorium on approving new business licenses and construction permits for data centers and new residential rental developments.
A proposed resolution states that the development of residential rental units can be detrimental to the city’s development and effectively limit the ability of the city to attract diverse types of businesses. The resolution also says it is in the city’s best interest to provide for orderly growth and balance development of these businesses.
A similar resolution has been proposed regarding data centers, which have drawn significant opposition in numerous communities across the country in recent years.for a variety of reasons, including disruption to the surrounding community, environmental impacts and resource consumption.
Some data centers, particularly some of those dealing with artificial intelligence, require millions of gallons of water daily for cooling, frequently straining local resources in areas where water is scarce. They also sometimes consume large amounts of electricity, raising concerns about utility rates for others in the community.
Opponents also have raised concerns about air, noise and light pollution, electronic waste and the disruption of the landscape since many artificial intelligence factories have been put in large warehouse-like structures.
The resolutions being considered by the Chelsea City Council state that a one-year moratorium would provide additional time to assess the current zoning ordinance and evaluate potential modifications to address concerns.
The City Council also on Tuesday is scheduled to consider:
- Awarding a contract for weekly residential garbage collection and disposal and bulk trash pickup to Amwaste at a cost of $21.21 per month per household
- Appointing Denny Hodges to replace Cole Williams on the Chelsea Planning Commission, serving the remainder of Williams’ term through November of this year
- An agreement to cooperate with Shelby County to participate in a program that seeks community development block grant money from the federal government
- Appointing Regions Bank as the paying agent for the city’s warrants issued in 2016, 2019 and 2021 instead of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co., which has closed its office in the Birmingham area
The Chelsea City Council is scheduled to have its July 21 action meeting at 6 p.m. at Chelsea City Hall at 11611 Chelsea Road, with a work session at 5 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public. Here is the complete agenda and supporting documents for items on the agenda.
