HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-09-20 Addie Berliner Support
From: Addie Berliner
To: Planning LPC Testimony
Subject: Testimony in Support of Bill 170 (Data Center Definition)
Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026 2:51:12 PM
Aloha Chair and Commissioners,
My name is Addie Berliner and I live on Hawaiʻi Island. I am submitting testimony in strong
support of Bill 170, and specifically its definition of "data center."
The bill defines a data center as a facility used for the industrial-scale operation of computer systems and associated equipment, requiring supporting infrastructure beyond what is
typically accessory or incidental to office, commercial, or public institutional uses. This definition works because it describes what these facilities are and what they demand from the
land, the grid, and the water supply. It closes a loophole. It also exempts data centers that serve public institutions and does not impose limits retroactively.
I ask you to reject the Planning Department's recommendation. The Director suggested that
standalone data centers belong in the general industrial district, with a 10,000 square foot size limit, and that larger facilities would need a use permit and site-specific review. That approach
turns a clear "not permitted" into a permit pathway. A square footage number also says nothing about power or water consumption, which is what matters on an island. Our resources
are finite, and we cannot bring more in from another state.
Bill 170 is clear, consistent with how zoning codes work, and protects Hawaiʻi Island. I urge you to forward it favorably.
Mahalo for the opportunity to testify.
Addie Berliner
Pahoa Hawaii
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