On July 14, a zone verification request (ZVR 26-050) was submitted to the City of Eugene to consider data center use at the former Hynix location at 1830 Willow Creek Circle. On September 8, the City of Eugene determined that the former Hynix semiconductor plant cannot be the site of a data center under existing zoning for the property. The ruling was primarily due to the fact that the “E” in the E-1 zone category where the Hynix site is located stands for “employment.” Data centers are almost entirely self-operating with little human presence on site. Thus, the City ruled the former Hynix plant cannot become a data center.

However, that decision is appealable to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). Furthermore, Eugene City Councilors want to discuss data centers more and are tentatively scheduled to do so at their December 14 meeting.

We are therefore asking for a temporary moratorium on data center development in Eugene until proper protections are in place. The next City Council meeting is September 14—we need our community to testify for a moratorium and tell City Council that Eugene does not need data centers!