'Just Ban Them': Manchester Residents Demand Council Block AI Data Centers

MANCHESTER, NJ — Most nights, the Manchester Township Council sees a small crowd of 30 or 40 people.

But concerns that an artificial intelligence data center is coming to Manchester led to an overflow crowd at Monday's council meeting. That crowd had a singular message for the council: Just ban data centers.

The township council did not have any discussion items regarding AI data centers on the agenda for Monday's council meeting, Council President Michele Zolezi said.

But messages circulated on social media by the Pinelands Alliance and Save Barnegat Bay urged residents to speak out on the possibility of a data center to be located next to the Renaissance age-restricted community.

"Developers are working on plans for a hyperscale data center that could bring noise pollution and unprecedented water and energy demand," the Pinelands Alliance said in a post on Facebook on Aug. 4.

Save Barnegat Bay also urged residents to turn out for the meeting.

They did so in unprecedented numbers, and the opposition spanned all ages and political affiliations.

The overflow crowd let to urgings that the council adjourn the meeting and reschedule with a special meeting at a larger venue. But Zolezi said the council would hold a special meeting at a venue large enough to accommodate those interested at a later date.

The special meeting date and site will be announced later, Zolezi said.

Public comment was moved to the start of the meeting to allow those in the audience the opportunity to share their concerns, with Zolezi allowing one minute per speaker.

"Just ban it like other towns have done," said a woman from the Renaissance, which is next to the property that appears to be the target of a developer who wants to build a data center.

An ordinance approved in August 2025 by the council designated a property owned by the Stavola Corporation for redevelopment, and included a provision that specifically included data centers as an acceptable use.

The property is off South Hope Chapel Road near the Renaissance age-restricted community.

The ordinance was approved by a 3-0 vote, with then-Council President Roxanne Conniff, Council Vice President James Vaccaro and Councilwoman Sandra Gravatt-Drake. Zolezi and Councilman Craig Wallis were absent at the meeting.

That vote also came before concerns about the impact of AI data centers exploded as a national issue.

Residents of all ages urged the current council to repeal the 2025 ordinance and ban data centers in Manchester altogether, as has been done in 40 other municipalities in New Jersey.

"It's clear from the turnout tonight that we do not want a data center in Manchester," one resident said.

According to comments at the meeting, there was a presentation regarding data centers in Manchester. But Zolezi and Manchester Township Business Administrator Carl Block said there are no active applications for a data center.

Residents who spoke raised concerns about water usage in a town that has faced water restrictions yearly, and about stress on the power grid that has seen multiple outages in 2026 as a result of stresses from high heat.

The impact on the environment, including air quality issues, also was raised.

"With a nickname like the Garden State, you'd think a ban on data centers would be a no-brainer," said Joe Bizonos, who successfully urged Howell Township to bar them across the township.

Others referred to the August 2025 redevelopment ordinance as a loophole, and urged the council to close it.

"The environmental destruction will be a detriment to our town," said Maxxine DeOcampo, a Manchester resident who will be a senior at Ocean County's Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Sciences in September.

"We don't want the poisoning our peace of mind," one resident said. "We don't want them in Ocean County. We don't want them ever."

The council did not set a date or site for a special meeting on Monday but Zolezi said one will be arranged soon.