Oregon Governor Tina Kotek ordered state officials to withdraw a pending land sale for a proposed data center near Salem, interrupting a project that has drawn community backlash over local zoning rules. The governor’s intervention directs the state to pull back from the transaction, according to reporting by OregonLive.
The directive halts a planned purchase of state-owned property. Project developers had eyed the plot to build a computing facility. However, the proposal triggered opposition from local residents. Local community members packed recent municipal meetings to voice their disapproval, with some critics describing the project as “signing the city’s death warrant.”
Governor Kotek’s decision intercedes in the real estate transaction. State officials confirmed that the directive requires the state to withdraw the property from the market.
Zoning Conflicts and Community Pushback in Marion County
Before the state stepped in to block the land deal, the project faced headwinds at the municipal level. A planning commission reviewed land-use rules governing technological infrastructure, recommending that the council change code to make data centers conditional, as reported by the Salem Reporter.
Public opposition intensified during subsequent hearings. Residents voiced skepticism during packed public comment sessions. Local news coverage by KOIN highlighted tense exchanges between neighborhood advocates and municipal leaders, with critics questioning the project.
State Intervention Halts the Transaction
Governor Kotek’s administrative order removes the state-owned acreage from contention. According to coverage by the Statesman Journal, the governor instructed the state to kill the land sale, effectively ending the current sale process.
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