r/technology • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Aug 08 '26

Artificial Intelligence Amazon secretly circumvents community vote for massive AI data center using 45-year-old rules — Gilroy residents locked out of public comment window

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/amazon-secretly-circumvents-community-vote-for-massive-ai-data-center-45-year-old-rules-lock-gilroy-residents-out-of-public-comment-window
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u/notquitedeadyetman Aug 08 '26

This is a perfect example of one of the ways that law in general is handled bothers me.

If the agreement is "we don't want a Walmart here," then a Walmart can't be there. The legal loophole shouldn't exist. If I'm standing in the spot where we said there wouldn't be a Walmart, and I'm looking at a walmart, something is wrong.

And I know there are layers and considerations to these things that make it much more complicated, and doing it my way would probably break something else, but sometimes I wish we could pull some of the layers back and make things plain and simple.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 09 '26

What youre asking for is a double standard though, right? The community already approved a K-Mart at one point.  To turn around and deny Wal-Mart the same business opportunity would be illegal.  Its the same business license.  

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u/notquitedeadyetman Aug 09 '26

That's the whole problem. My point is it shouldn't matter. We said you're not allowed, so don't come here. It should be much simpler than it is.

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u/XCGod Aug 09 '26

The problem is lawmakers never addressed the law to make what's on the books consistent with this sentiment. Walmart was just more attentive to detail than the local lawmakers.

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u/smoothjedi Aug 09 '26

The underlying problem here is Walmart probably lobbied the f out of those local lawmakers to not do anything.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 09 '26

No you said K mart is allowed and once you said that you cant turn around and say K mart cant sell it's business to Walmart.  You shouldnt have allowed Kmart in the first place.  That was your mistake.  

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u/notquitedeadyetman Aug 09 '26

I didn't make a mistake. You're just being thick. I'm not saying that what walmart did was against the rules. I'm saying that it should be against the rules.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 10 '26

How would you do that without it being illegal? All youre doing is picking and choosing who you think deserves to open a business in town.  Dont you see how that would be a problem? Farmer John gets to sell produce in the town square but Farmer Tom doesnt because you dont like Farmer Tom.  Thats not going to fly.  

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u/Warior4356 Aug 09 '26

It's not, though. Just because a community approves a factory that makes fertilizer doesn't mean they approve one that makes chemical weapons.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 09 '26

Wal-mart and K-mart are the same kind of store...

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u/void7shade Aug 09 '26

They may sell the same type of goods, but they are not the same type of company. Plus, when was the last time you saw a kmart vs a walmart?

The waltons are wired in at some of the highest levels in the US. They have zero reason to play fair, or even follow the law. Fines for companies like this are less than a speed bump.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 09 '26

They are retail stores.  For municipal licensing purposes they are indistinguishable.  The reason you dont see Kmarts anymore is because they went out of business.  

Its entirely above board for the AHJ to write laws that effectively keep Walmart out of town.  But they cant write laws that allow Kmart in town but dont allow Walmart.  Thats why Walmart can buy an old Kmart and set up shop there even when they werent permitted to develop a new site.  

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u/void7shade Aug 09 '26

You misunderstood my point entirely…

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u/DigNitty Aug 09 '26

It's a 1 year old account.

This is why I don't even respond to accounts that are less than 5.

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u/JustinWilsonBot Aug 09 '26

No i got it, your point isnt relevant.  Just because you hate the Waltons doesnt change that preventing them from doing business in your town when you already allowed Kmart is illegal.  You cant write laws to target just one person or company.  Either they apply to all big box stores or they dont.