Salem City Council Meeting “Pack the room!” Agenda-Verrus’ Mill Creek Data Center Project

NOTE: There are groups planning to attend this meeting in protest of City staff facilitating the approval of a proposed data center in Salem without public comment or Council vote. More info will be shared as it is available. Read more about the project here: https://www.salemreporter.com/2026/07/16/salem-data-center-project-likely-to-proceed/

This meeting is being conducted in-person with the option to participate remotely. Attend the meeting in person or watch the City Council meeting in real time on Comcast Cable cc: media Channel 21 or watch on City of Salem YouTube Channel by entering July 27, 2026 on the City Council meeting home page. Submit comments on agenda items no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting at cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net.

Council Agendas: select July 27, 2026, City Council meeting agenda on home page

Council Minutes: select July 27, 2026, City Council meeting minutes on home page

For more information: https://www.cityofsalem.net/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/12793/17

Verrus’ Mill Creek Data Center Project

Last week it was revealed that the California company, Verrus, is planning a massive new data center operation to be located in the Mill Creek Corporate Center. This project has been in the works for months but due to a Non Disclosure Agreement, was only revealed last week.

No development of this size, with the potential impact that comes with it, should be approved without extensive input for the community it impacts.

What we know about this project (the short version)

• The zoning is settled. Mill Creek Corporate Center is zoned Employment Center (EC). Data centers are an outright permitted use. No rezone is needed, so there is no rezone to fight.
• The likely process is a staff decision. Per city planning staff at the July 14 meeting: the project requires Site Plan Review, decided administratively by the Planning Administrator. Most likely no public hearing occurs at all unless (a) the application bundles something that triggers one, or (b) someone appeals the staff decision. An appeal may go to a hearings officer, not the planning commission.
• No application has been filed yet. This is the single most important fact in this memo. Under Oregon’s vesting (“goalpost”) rule, an application is judged by the standards in effect on the day it is submitted. Rules adopted afterward do not apply to it.
• We found out by accident. The city was under an NDA with the developer. Marion County inadvertently published a SEDCOR report referencing “Project Gridline” — which had optioned two sites at Mill Creek, met with city staff for months on access, transportation, mitigation and the oak trees, and was introduced to SEDCOR by Portland General Electric’s business development staff back in October.
• The company’s claims are claims. $5.1 billion, 75 permanent jobs, water use “less than a golf course,” 100% Heritage Oak preservation via a conservation easement, battery-first backup, grid-flexible operation. Some may prove true. None have been independently verified, and the company’s own website says figures are subject to change.

GET INVOLVED!

First: attend the Salem City Council meeting next Monday.

Here’s the details for that:

Salem City Council meeting on Monday, July 27

• When: 6 p.m. Monday, July 27
• Where: In person at Loucks Auditorium, Salem Public Library (585 Liberty St. S.E.)
• Watch online: Livestreamed on YouTube in English and Spanish

Public comment options

• In person: Members of the public can sign up to comment on any item on the council agenda.
• Remote comment: Sign up on the city’s website between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday
• Written comment: Email citycouncil@cityofsalem.net before 5 p.m. Monday, or drop off a paper comment at the City Recorder’s Office, Civic Center (555 Liberty St. S.E., Room 225)

There’s a lot more to know about the project and its impact on our community.

Here’s what the city is saying on their website: https://www.cityofsalem.net/Home/Components/News/News/2169/

Here’s a link to the Salem Reporter’s coverage https://www.cityofsalem.net/Home/Components/News/News/2169/

We should reject this project being forced on us without public input