Imperial County to Hold Special Meeting on Proposed Data Center Project

-Editorial 

The Imperial County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting on Thursday, March 26, to provide an informational update on the proposed Imperial Data Center Project. The meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Board Chamber at 904 W. Main Street, El Centro, will include a presentation from the project applicant and provide the public an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal. The County emphasized that no Board action on the project will take place during this meeting.

Imperial County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Peggy Price said the special meeting is intended to balance community input with legal requirements.

“We believe a special meeting is the best way to accommodate the request we have heard from the community, while ensuring full transparency and compliance with state law,” Price said. She added that the project applicant will present details of the proposed data center, followed by public comment, and county staff will address procedural questions. 

“The purpose of the item is to receive information and hear from the public, not to deliberate or make a decision,” Price said. She emphasized that supervisors may listen and ask clarifying questions but cannot express support or opposition, weigh in on project merits, or signal how they might vote. “We appreciate the community’s continued engagement and look forward to a productive and informative discussion,” she said, noting a press release will provide further details.

The County initially announced a town hall for March 25 but received community feedback requesting that the Board of Supervisors participate in the discussion. Under California’s Brown Act, a majority of Supervisors may not engage in the same event where issues within their decision-making authority are discussed outside a properly noticed Board meeting, as doing so could constitute an unlawful “serial” meeting. Because the project is an active application, Board participation in the original town hall format could have compromised both legal compliance and the ability of Supervisors to remain impartial.

To address these concerns while accommodating public input, the County converted the town hall into a special Board meeting focused on information sharing and public engagement. Supervisors may listen to the presentation and ask clarifying, procedural, or informational questions but are prohibited from expressing support or opposition, commenting on the merits of the project, indicating how they might vote, or engaging in debate with speakers. County staff from relevant departments will be available to answer procedural or policy questions, while the applicant will address questions related to project specifics.

The County said the format ensures full transparency and compliance with state law while meeting community requests for Board participation. Officials emphasized that this informational meeting is intended to share details, answer questions, and receive public input, not to deliberate or make decisions. Supervisors will remain impartial during this stage, but future properly noticed meetings or hearings on project components, including land use actions, will allow the Board to take formal action based on the information presented at that time.

The County encouraged community members to attend and participate, noting that public engagement is an important component of the process. The meeting is part of the County’s broader commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability as it evaluates major development projects that may affect the region. Residents interested in attending can join the meeting in person at the Board Chamber in El Centro.