AI Factory Approved, Neighbors Frustrated

0:00It's March 27. You're listening to Birmingham News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Cory with the story. A proposed AI factory in Oxmore Valley took a big step forward this week. The city's zoning board of adjustment approved a special exception for a new utility substation to power the Nebius project. The site is already zoned for data centers in a mixed-use district, but this substation was key to meeting the massive electrical demands. Alabama power described the setup as a quiet switching station with no noise, no water use, and remote monitoring from afar. No staff would be on site, keeping operations low key and efficient. Local reactions were mixed. One resident raised worries about a nearby narrow curvy road and whether it would get widened for safety. A lawyer for Nebius called the project a win for the whole community, promising neighborhood benefits. Meanwhile, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, planning a $77 million campus nearby, got blindsided. They now face redesigned costs to shield their outdoor animal areas from the development.

1:04In the end, the board rejected a motion to deny and approved it three to two. Residents left the meeting clearly frustrated as the AI factory pushes ahead amid these local tensions.