COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — College Station residents are preparing to make their voices heard at Thursday's city council meeting regarding a proposed real estate deal that would sell 200 acres of land in the Midtown Business Park to Priority Power Management, LLC for a cryptocurrency data mining facility.
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The city is set to vote on the controversial land sale, which has sparked significant opposition from local residents who have raised multiple concerns about the project's potential impact on their community.
"We are not anti-development. We're not anti-growth, but this is certainly not the best the city can do with this land asset," Shane Britton said.
Many residents admit they were initially unfamiliar with data centers and their potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods.
"You know, I didn't know what a data center was, so I started researching it and I found that it's actually quite a nuisance for citizens that live around it," Jessica Vallone said.
Residents have identified several key areas of concern, starting with transparency in the approval process.
"Show us some transparency on what it is that this contractor actually wants to build," Cindy Estes said.
Utility costs represent another major worry for homeowners in the area.
"I think it's going to drive our utility costs through the roof," Eddie Damanafshan said.
Property values and quality of life issues also top the list of resident concerns.
"I'm very concerned about my property value just plummeting after this. Not only that, but my quality of life and the quality of life for my kids," Vallone said.
Some residents question how the city can move forward without fully understanding the project's implications.
"How can they sign a contract without knowing what the negative effects are going to be to the neighborhood?" Carlos Candia said.
Noise pollution has emerged as a particular concern among residents. Local audiologist Dr. Hannah Evans explained acceptable noise levels for residential areas.
"So if we are under that 30 decibel mark in our own home at night while sleeping, we should be OK. We should be acceptable there, but above that is deemed unacceptable," Dr. Evans said.
The city council meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Residents who wish to speak during public comment must sign up with the city secretary by 2 p.m. on Thursday.
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