By Bailey Coyle, Fox23 News
COWETA, Okla. — The Coweta Planning Commission is set to review a rezoning application Monday that could pave the way for a proposed data center on the southern edge of the city.
According to Coweta City Manager Julie Casteen, the property under consideration is located near the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The meeting will focus on whether the land should be rezoned to allow for the potential development.
“The planning commission basically reviews applications for rezoning and cases like that,” said Casteen. “They’ll hear from the applicant, who will describe the project, the land use and what they plan to do. The commission’s role is to make sure it fits within our comprehensive plan.”
As part of the rezoning process, a public hearing will be held to give nearby residents and other community members the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns.
“It’s really important that residents engage with us. We want to hear their objections, their concerns, or any other comments they might have,” said Casteen.
City officials expect strong public interest in the meeting, noting that discussion about the project has already gained traction on social media. Casteen said Monday’s meeting will be the first opportunity for the public to see the developer’s most updated plan.
“There’s been a lot of information circulating online, but this will be the first real chance for the public to see the final plan,” she said. “The developer has been modifying the project based on public input.”
One significant change already made involves the cooling system.
Casteen said the project initially proposed a water-cooled system, but it has since been redesigned to use an air-cooled system that requires significantly less water.
“Those are the kinds of comments they’ve been taking into consideration throughout this process,” she said.
Due to the anticipated turnout, the meeting will not be held at City Hall. Instead, it will take place at the ICTC campus in Coweta to accommodate a larger crowd. City officials are asking anyone who wishes to speak during the public hearing to sign up in advance.
Residents can register online, pick up a form at City Hall or sign up at the meeting location. Speakers will be given a three-minute time limit to ensure everyone has an opportunity to be heard.
“The purpose of the form is really to organize the list of speakers and help keep things running smoothly. We expect it could be a long meeting,” said Casteen.
The meeting agenda will include a presentation from the applicant, questions and discussion from the planning commission and then public comments. Extra security will be present as a precaution, though city officials say they are not anticipating any issues.
“We want everyone to be heard,” said Casteen. “It’s very important that people are able to share their opinions, and we completely respect that.”
The planning commission will not make a final decision on the project Monday, but its recommendation will be an important step in the overall rezoning process.
