Comeback Town: Foreign company wants a 79-acre AI factory in our neighborhood. Speak up June 9th

Comeback Town is an opinion column exploring all things Birmingham. It is coordinated by David Sher. This week’s guest columnist is Allison Black Cornelius.

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By Allison Black Cornelius

A foreign tech firm has set its sights on the Oxmoor Valley for a massive 79-acre AI mega-factory. The scale of this proposal is staggering: it would require enough electricity to power 200,000 homes and demand enormous water resources in a region that has faced drought conditions in 17 of the past 20 years.

This industrial facility is slated to land right in the heart of our community, nestled among family neighborhoods, houses of worship, schools, parks, small businesses, nonprofits, and a golf course. Residents are looking at potential round-the-clock noise, heat, light, and increased traffic. To facilitate this, the plan includes installing 125-foot transmission towers and 230,000-volt power lines through residential areas—infrastructure that Birmingham citizens may be on the hook to help pay for over the next two to three decades.

A critical vote on our future

Is this a fair trade-off for our city? We need to decide, and the opportunity to speak up is fast approaching. On June 9, the Birmingham City Council will host a public hearing regarding a new data center ordinance that will dictate how future AI projects are approved across the city.

Don't let the debate fool you—this isn't simply a disagreement over technology. It is a fundamental question of whether Birmingham residents will retain a seat at the table before large-scale industrial projects are greenlit near our homes, schools, and hospitals.

The shifting standards

In April, Birmingham’s planning staff promised that the city was drafting a "gold standard" ordinance for data centers, drawing on lessons from communities already living next to such facilities. However, a new draft emerged last week that tells a very different story. While the updated version includes some improved disclosure requirements, it stripped away a key protection: the Special Exception requirement for hyperscale AI factories.

A Special Exception isn't an anti-tech measure; it is a common-sense safeguard that allows for public hearings and community input. Under the current proposal, these massive facilities would be classified as "Permitted with Conditions," meaning they could be approved administratively by city staff without a public hearing, a vote, or an avenue for appeal. The only mandatory notice would be a letter to property owners within 500 feet—but the noise, heat, and infrastructure impacts of an industrial AI factory extend far beyond that radius.

Demanding accountability

If the city truly modeled this ordinance after successful data center hubs, we must ask why the most vital protections are missing. The current draft lacks setbacks for schools, parks, and churches, offers no enforceable noise limits, and fails to provide for independent monitoring or decommissioning bonds. Even the classification of a 30-megawatt facility as "medium" is misleading—it is an industrial-scale operation that shouldn't escape meaningful public scrutiny.

Supporters may argue that strict standards kill investment, but look at Loudoun County, Virginia—the global leader in data center development. They maintain rigorous public review and site-specific protections while still attracting billions in investment. They didn't have to sacrifice their residents' quality of life to grow their economy.

The upcoming public hearing is set for 9:00 a.m. on June 9 in the Birmingham City Council Chambers. This is a conversation that requires the input of the people who call Birmingham home. For more information on how to get involved, visit ProtectOxmoor.org.

Allison Black Cornelius is Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. A nationally recognized advocate with over three decades of experience in public policy, nonprofit leadership, and animal welfare, she has been honored by the White House and numerous civic organizations.