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Comment by nslsm | Hacker News Reader

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NIMBY-ism/anti-NIMBY-ism isn't all or nothing.

I support an increase in housing development and cautious modifications to zoning regulations because I believe these changes will improve housing affordability for humans.

I support more development into renewable energy sources because I believe these changes will improve the environment that humans must live in.

I do not support a massive increase in data center development, resulting in situations like xAI poisoning parts of Memphis and Southaven with methane turbines.

"Cautious" modifications to zoning is a NIMBY argument, just for what it's worth.

That's such an oversimplified thing to say. And how much work are those quotes doing?

I don't agree, and none.

Zoning is currently too restrictive in the US. I believe it should be less so.

"Cautious" as I mean it exists in the space between where we are now and just throwing zoning regulations out entirely and YOLOing it.

I support significant changes, but I don't support just eliminating all regulations with no replacements and expecting "the market" to do the right thing. IMO we'd be trading one problem with another likely much more destructive one.

The NIMBY argument is generally that the current zoning system is fine (and then hiding behind it to support their NIMBY-ism).

Why not throw almost all zoning regulations out besides some designations for what areas can be used for industrial uses?

The status quo of zoning basically just stops people from living and working where they want to.

This kind of data center opposition is part of the NIMBY playbook though. A core part of NIMBY positions is that the built environment should be purely discretionary; every change to the neighborhood should have sufficient community approval to go forward. The idea being that current residents should have veto rights over what is built in their community. Highly restrictive zoning just happens to be the method by which this land use philosophy is exercised.

Regular zoning in most of the US already covers data centers. They're highly likely only being placed in medium or heavy industrial zones. Opposing a data center despite zoning allowance is being a NIMBY. It's saying that community members should have veto rights over what gets built in their community, despite zoning and code which restricts what can be built.

I can’t imagine an argument for doing…not cautious zoning modifications?

Zoning modifications seems like something you’d want to think about no matter what.

Equating this shit with a NIMBY argument is unequivocally dishonest.

I don’t want any more shitty AI data centers anywhere. Sorry that that negatively impacts your totally awesome start-up.

I don't want this garbage in anyone's "backyard", mine or not.

I want it in my back yard. Commercial and industrial interests make great neighbors.

Unlike solar and wind power, some people don't want AI data centers in any neighborhood.

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