Palm Beach County officials have approved the application of a controversial artificial intelligence data center project near Wellington despite growing concerns from nearby homeowners.
The project, known as Project Tango, will span 202.67 acres between Southern Boulevard and 20 Mile Bend.
It includes a series of buildings full of computers for data processing, along with warehouse space.
The plan first received approval in 2016, but developers recently requested an additional 64 acres, prompting another vote.
On Thursday, the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission gave the green light, even as dozens of homeowners from the Arden community voiced objections. They worry about noise, water usage, traffic, and the size of the project.
Sue Ellen Loyzelle has lived in the Arden community for four years, about a mile away from the planned data center.
“You’re jeopardizing traffic,” Loyzelle said. “You’re jeopardizing our quality of life.”
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Project Manager Ernie Cox acknowledged those concerns during Thursday’s meeting, saying a noise study is underway and technology for water cooling is still being finalized for the 1.8 million-square-foot AI data center.
“We’re working hard to reduce the noise that would come from the site,” Cox said.
Loyzelle is not happy with the process, saying the county should have completed environmental studies before approving the expansion.
“Our County Commission is doing it backwards,” she said. “You need all those studies first.”
Cox said Project Tango could bring billions of dollars to the local economy, but neighbors are asking, at what cost?
“Our votes count,” Loyzelle said. “We have over 2,500 homes in this community, which is a lot of voting power.”
Loyzelle and others plan to attend a meeting Dec. 10, hoping to sway commissioners.
