MESA, Ariz. — Neighbors Frank Brontsema and Anson Gilbert have called the Mesquite Canyon neighborhood of Mesa home for years and have enjoyed the peace, quiet and convenience the area has to offer.
“It’s just a beautiful, lovely, quiet community,” Brontsema said.
But that may soon change, as a roughly 1.4 million-square-foot vacant lot south of the neighborhood could become the site of CyrusOne’s second data center in the Valley and its first in Mesa.
Several Mesquite Canyon homeowners attended a July 24 meeting of Mesa’s Planning and Zoning Commission to voice their concerns about the project, saying they felt they had not been informed about the plans.
“They claimed there was a meeting on June 24, but only one person showed up,” Brontsema alleged. “No one in the area received any notice.”
Another concern neighbors have had is the proposed height and distance of the data center building, which could exceed Mesa’s 40-foot city planning ordinance by nearly 30 feet.
“It’s much taller than the other buildings, nearly 30 feet,” Gilbert said. “It’s huge.”
The data centre falls into the city’s planned employment park category, meaning it can be built at a higher elevation if permission is granted.
In a 4-3 decision, the board approved CyrusOne’s request for a height waiver, much to Gilbert and Brontsema’s dismay.
In a statement, the city of Mesa said the commission balances the city’s growth and development with the law and community concerns.
“I’m not against data centers, I just don’t want them in my backyard,” Brontsema shouted.