At the July 7 public hearing, councillors heard 24 residents speak in opposition to Bylaws 2025-32 and 2025-34. One resident spoke in favour. More than 100 letters were submitted, the vast majority opposed.
Councillors know the community has concerns. The question is: are they asking the right questions of the developer before making a decision that changes our community forever?
Based on what other communities have learned — the hard way — here are 10 things Wheatland County should require from Diode Ventures before approving any zoning changes.
Why This List Exists
Communities like Peculiar, Missouri and Charles City, Virginia learned the hard way that once zoning changes are approved, the developer has little incentive to answer hard questions. That is why Diode pushes so hard for rezoning approval first — because everything else gets deferred to a vague “development permit stage” that never seems to arrive.
The community of Peculiar eventually removed data centres from their zoning entirely after residents realized what they had almost approved. Charles City saw Diode withdraw after residents demanded independent studies.
Wheatland County can learn from them. Here is what responsible, community-first oversight looks like:
1. Independent Microclimate and Heat Island Study
The ASU field study (May 2026, peer-reviewed) found data centres raise downwind air temperatures by 1.3-1.6°F on average, up to 4°F, detectable up to 500 metres away. A ~350 MW Goldfinch facility would reject waste heat equivalent to 400,000-500,000 homes running heating continuously. No microclimate study has been done for this proposal. Council should require computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling of thermal plumes before any approval.
2. Independent Hydrogeological Study
The developer references wells as a potential water source. Cooling towers consume hundreds of thousands of gallons per day. At full buildout, water demand could reach 1.5-2 million gallons per day — a significant draw on local aquifers shared with farms and residents. No independent hydrogeological study has been completed.
3. Independent Noise Study with Livestock Standards
Standard residential noise limits are not adequate for equine operations. Horses have sensitive hearing. Backup generators reach 85-100 decibels (jackhammer levels). Cooling fans and towers operate 24/7. The county should require a noise study that specifically addresses livestock and equine impacts, not just residential decibel limits.
4. Independent Traffic Impact Study with Route-Specific Analysis
The current traffic study does not analyze specific routes like Range Road 264. 2,555 additional car trips per day on rural roads for up to 9 years of construction needs a proper, route-by-route analysis „ including emergency vehicle access, school bus routes, and farm equipment movement.
5. Agricultural Impact Assessment
No study exists on how 9 years of construction, altered humidity from cooling towers, constant noise, and light intrusion would affect adjacent crops, livestock, or the Infinity Equine horse operation. The county should require a dedicated agricultural impact assessment from an independent agronomist.
6. Name the End User
Diode will not say which company will ultimately operate this facility. Residents are being asked to approve a permanent land-use change without knowing who will run it. Meta has no problem being named. Why the secrecy from Diode?
7. Setback Requirements Based on Documented Impacts
The ASU study shows measurable air temperature effects at 500 metres. Noise complaints from other jurisdictions suggest even greater distances may be warranted. The county should require minimum setbacks based on actual data, not developer preferences.
8. Water Use Contingency Plan
What happens during drought? Alberta is no stranger to dry conditions. The developer should provide a drought contingency plan and demonstrate that water use will not compete with agricultural irrigation or rural residential wells during dry periods.
9. Cumulative Impact Assessment
The Goldfinch proposal is not happening in isolation. Meta ($13B, Sturgeon County), Wild Rose Power Hub ($10B, Langdon), and Beacon ($4B, Chestermere) are all in various stages. The county should require an assessment of combined effects if multiple projects proceed.
10. Public Disclosure Over NDAs
In Virginia, 80% of municipalities with data centres use NDAs to limit public transparency. Wheatland County should commit to full public disclosure of all studies, agreements, and monitoring data related to this project.
Bottom Line
These 10 requirements are not radical. They are basic, responsible due diligence for a decision that permanently converts 576 acres of Tier 2 farmland — and fundamentally changes our community.
Council can vote yes now and hope Diode delivers on vague promises later. Or it can say: “Show us. Prove it. Then we will talk about zoning.”
Read the full facts about this proposal „ Contact your councillor today