09 Mar Oakley City Council to Consider Possible Data Center Development

The proposed 164-acre Bridgehead Industrial Project site in Oakley, where developers are seeking approval of a rezone and project plans for an industrial center that could include data centers near Big Break Regional Shoreline. (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / CC Pulse file)

Editor’s note: The Pulse will cover the Oakley City Council meeting on Tuesday that is previewed below. Please check back later this week for our story.

By Aly Brown
Bay City News

The Oakley City Council this week will consider approving a controversial 164-acre industrial project that would convert existing vineyards into a logistics hub with possible data centers near the Big Break Regional Shoreline.

Since the area is not currently zoned for this use, applicant Oxfoot Oakley LLC is proposing both a General Plan amendment and a rezone to “light industrial” to align the Bridgehead Industrial Project with development standards.

While the project as proposed doesn’t identify the future tenants, plans envision an industrial warehouse, logistics buildings and “potentially” data centers — facilities that house computing infrastructure for things like artificial intelligence.

Before approving the project amid boos in a 3-2 vote at its Jan. 20 meeting, the Oakley Planning Commission heard speakers who raised concerns about the significant water use that data centers require and the adverse environmental impacts of an industrial facility on the nearby Big Break community and ecosystems.

During that meeting, Oakley resident and speaker Mike Oravec said he’s a Scout leader who spends a lot of time at Big Break, teaching youth how to be stewards of the land.

“If you know anything about Big Break, you know how much work has gone into rebuilding that ecosystem,” said Oravec to the Planning Commission. “I am concerned that the (environmental impact report), as currently written, may not adequately analyze or disclose certain reasonably foreseeable environmental impacts associated with the full range of industrial use as allowed in this new zoning. This is a zoning certification. You can say no.”

Speaker Jasper Willowbrook noted that data centers could require water reliance on the Delta, which would impact not only the environment but also the farmers who depend on that resource.

“The EIR stated this project would have an unavoidable impact to air quality, regardless of who the tenants end up being,” Willowbrook added.

Some speakers representing labor unions spoke in favor of the project, saying the development would create local jobs and reduce the number of commuters sitting on the freeways.

“We believe this project embraces sustainability principles that will promote equity for our Oakley members,” said Jason Lindsey, Ironworkers Union Local 378 president. “One of the critical issues in East County is the jobs and housing imbalance. We create a disproportionate share of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions due to this imbalance.”

The Planning Commission’s approval — with opposing votes from Commissioner Yared Oliveros and Vice Chair Kerry Harvey — came with an added condition that if a data center were to be built as part of the project, it would need further review and approval.

Oxfoot Oakley LLC, the applicant company, and the vineyards in question are both owned by Fred Cline of Cline Family Cellars.

During the Jan. 20 Planning Commission meeting, Fred’s daughter Hilary Cline said the land’s vineyards have come to the end of their lifespan.

“We’ve seen the demand for wine in general just go down a huge amount in the last five years, and specifically Zinfandel has been the hardest-hit category, which is what we mostly grow and make out here,” she said. “It’s just no longer really an economically viable place for us in the wine industry right now.”

The City Council on Tuesday will consider the project and whether to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve it. For meeting details, visit https://www.oakleyca.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes.

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