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-owned tech company is eyeing Oxmoor Valley for a massive 79-acre AI Mega Factory. The scale of this proposal is staggering: it would consume as much electricity as 200,000 homes and demand enormous water resources—a concerning prospect in a county that has faced drought conditions during 17 of the last 20 years.

The proposed site sits in the heart of our community, surrounded by family neighborhoods, schools, houses of worship, small businesses, parks, and a golf course. Beyond the shadow of 125-foot transmission towers and 230,000-volt power lines snaking through residential streets, neighbors would face the constant, around-the-clock industrial barrage of noise, heat, light, and traffic. To make matters worse, the citizens of Birmingham are expected to help foot the bill for decades to come. Is this really the deal we want for our city?

A Critical Public Hearing

The conversation shifts to City Hall on June 9th. The Birmingham City Council is holding a public hearing on a proposed data center ordinance that will dictate how future AI factories are vetted and approved across our city.

Many are framing this as a debate about technology, but it isn't. This is a fundamental question about whether Birmingham residents will retain a meaningful voice in the development process for projects that impact our homes, churches, hospitals, and parks.

Missing Protections

In April, city planning staff signaled that Birmingham was looking toward the "gold standards" of other communities to craft its ordinance. However, a new draft emerged last week that tells a different story. While some improvements exist—such as better disclosure regarding fuel-cell systems and power infrastructure—a vital protection has been stripped away.

The Planning Commission and P&Z staff originally recommended a "Special Exception" requirement for hyperscale AI factories, which would allow the public to ask questions before project approval. The current draft removes this, classifying these massive facilities as "Permitted with Conditions" instead.

This bureaucratic shift is significant. It means these industrial giants could be approved administratively by city staff without a project-specific public hearing, an independent board review, or an appeal path for residents. The only requirement? A certified letter sent to property owners within 500 feet. But as we know, noise, heat, electrical infrastructure, and traffic impacts do not stop at a 500-foot buffer.

Setting the Standard

If Birmingham’s ordinance claims to be built on national best practices, where are the protections used elsewhere? Currently, the proposal lacks meaningful setbacks from schools or hospitals, enforceable property-line noise limits, and decommissioning bonds. Even a bus stop receives more consideration in setback requirements than a private home.

Proponents might claim that strong standards kill investment, but look at Loudoun County, Virginia. As the largest data center market in the world, they haven't sacrificed their residents to bring in billions; they have demanded public review, buffering, and accountability. They chose both economic development and community protection.

The public hearing is June 9 at 9:00 a.m. in the Birmingham City Council Chambers. This is a conversation that must happen with the people of Birmingham in the room. For more information on how to get involved, visit ProtectOxmoor.org.

Allison Black Cornelius is the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society. A nationally recognized advocate, she has dedicated over three decades to public policy, nonprofit leadership, and animal welfare.