A lawsuit has been filed in Osage County to halt the development of a data center in Sand Springs.
The recently formed group Protect Sand Springs Alliance filed the lawsuit against the city in the Osage County District Court.
WATCH: Lawsuit filed against the City of Sand Springs in response to data center planning and development:
The legal action is in response to "Project Spring," a proposed large-scale data center that the Protect Sand Springs Alliance alleges will be built on land improperly annexed by the city.
According to the Protect Sand Springs Alliance, the lawsuit alleges that the city bypassed required legal procedures and statutory requirements, thereby overstepping its authority.
In a news release, Protect Sand Springs Alliance board president Kyle Schmidt said, in part, "Had they been transparent, engaged the community and sought our input from day one, perhaps this strife could have been avoided, and Sand Springs could be well on its way to a more suitable solution."
The group is seeking a court order to void the annexation and stop any further development.
"The goal is to get that property de-annexed. Detached from the city limits. If that is accomplished, we feel like that’ll pretty much kill this data center project permanently," Schmdit said.
Previous Coverage >>> Hundreds at public meetings against proposed Sand Springs data center
Protect Sand Springs Alliance describes itself as a "nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the integrity, safety, and rural character of the Sand Springs community."
The City of Sand Springs has scheduled two Special Planning Commission Meetings to consider issues around the application and development of data centers.
Responding to 2 News about the lawsuit, city manager Mike Carter said, "We have not seen or been served with any lawsuit. We are confident that the City has followed all Statutes of Oklahoma in regard to annexation."
The first meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 6 PM at Charles Page High School. The second meeting is scheduled for Feb. 3 at 6 PM, also at CPHS. The public is invited to attend both meetings.
The situation in Sand Springs is only the latest example of Oklahoma's growing interest in and debate over data centers.
2 News has a team gathering more information on the filing in Osage County. We will provide more information as we receive it, on air and online.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
