Residents of Denver’s Elyria-Swansea neighborhood are pushing back against the construction of a new data center, citing not only environmental concerns but also the city’s failure to adequately notify them before approving it.

The residents delivered a “Good Neighbor” proposal to CoreSite outlining specific demands, including full transparency on energy load, water use and generator plans, as well as safeguards to prevent the facility from supporting mass surveillance and deportation systems.

Neighbors said the step was necessary because the situation is “not a trust situation, and it cannot be handled in private.”

CoreSite did not attend a large community meeting held Tuesday night regarding the data center.

In an emailed statement to The Denver Gazette, the company cited safety concerns for its decision to stay away.

“Safety is a top priority for us at CoreSite,” the company said. “Given some developments over the weekend and in the interest and safety of our CoreSite team, we have made the hard decision to refrain from participating in tonight’s community meeting.”

Megan Ruszkowski, a spokesperson for CoreSite, added that the company remains “committed to working alongside community partners and the city on its mediation process for a Good Neighbor Agreement.”

At the meeting moderated by Denver Councilman Darrell Watson, residents peppered a panel of representatives from Denver Water, Xcel Energy, Denver’s Community Planning Department, and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment with questions relating to water usage, noise pollution and air quality, to name a few.

On Monday, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and members of the City Council announced plans to impose a temporary moratorium on new data facilities.

Ruszkowski said that her company looks forward to working with the city on updated regulations for future data center development in Denver, “given the important role they play in our local economy.”

If approved, the city will review additional data-center-specific regulations targeting “responsible land, energy, and water use as well as zoning and affordability for ratepayers.”

Existing data centers and projects currently permitted or under construction would not be impacted by the moratorium, but could be expected to follow new guidelines once announced.

At this time, city officials say there is only one data center, the CoreSite DE3 facility, permitted and under construction in the City and County of Denver.

Several residents at the community meeting raised concerns about how the new data center could have progressed so far without greater visibility from the council and the community.

City planning officials said the permit for the new three-building data center was approved as a use-by-right under Denver’s General Industrial District (I-B) zoning, as the use ‘Wholesale Trade or Storage, General.’

Use-by-right means the company was not required by the city to go through a full zoning process, which would have included more opportunities for community feedback.

“This did not go through the Denver City Council because they had a use-by-right,” Watson told residents.

Watson vowed that, for any future data center projects, he would ensure the city considers environmental impacts and that environmental impacts are part of the zoning and code requirements.

“That’s the gap that we have,” Watson explained. “We do not have data center regulations within our code right now; specifically, use-by-right for some of the industrial areas throughout the City and County of Denver permits for this type of zoning, and that’s why we need to change the code…and that’s why there’s a moratorium.”

Hamilton Nickoloff, a candidate for Denver City Council District 9, said community meetings should take place before permits are even approved.

“Data centers bring limited jobs and minimal to daily economic activity,” Nickoloff said. “They consume massive power and water, but they don’t build neighborhoods.

Nikoloff added that, since Johnston’s moratorium doesn’t prevent the construction of data centers, the community “will be forced” to have at least one, and that CoreSite should pay the full cost of electricity and water with “no hidden subsidies.”

Others worry about the possibility of being displaced from their homes and the potential for health issues.

“This is the most polluted zip code in America,” former Denver City Council member Candi CdeBaca said. “Another thing coming into our neighborhood is just another example of exploiting people of color who are perceived to not have political power to fight back, and we’re tired of it.”

“Community input and engagement are important to us, which is why we have met with the community in the past, have answered questions in writing, and have hosted tours of our existing DE1 data center with Mayor Johnston and our new DE3 development with multiple members of the city council,” Ruszkowski said. “That important engagement will continue.”

“How is it possible that the planning department didn’t call for a large development review?” asked GES community organizer Afonso Espino. “How is it possible that we’re not talking, right now, about denying building two and three outright?”

Energy policy analyst Morey Wolfson, who previously worked at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, said the three planned data centers for the area — believed to total roughly 200 megawatts — would consume as much power as the entire city of Boulder. He warned that during heat emergencies, the facilities could resort to large diesel backup generators, further degrading air quality in an already overburdened neighborhood.

“My hope is that the city says, ‘OK, we made a mistake by fast-tracking this thing,'” Wolfson said. 

Denver Gazette news partner 9NEWS contributed to this story. For more on this story, and others, visit 9NEWS