Oneonta Town Board Demands Clarity as Eco-Yotta Presentation Raises More Questions
By JAQUELYN CARLO
SUNY Institute for Local News
ONEONTA
A proposed Eco-Yotta Inc. data center—the subject of much debate and opposition—will be the focus of a special work session next month between Town of Oneonta and Eco-Yotta officials in order to get more clarity on the project and so that it will stop blocking other town discussions. The Eco-Yotta proposal again dominated the November monthly town board meeting, with around 50 citizens and company officials in attendance and trading perspectives.
Eco-Yotta seeks to convert property at 357 County Highway 9 to a planned development district, or PDD, which can permit broader uses than its current designation as residential agriculture. The idea surfaced this spring as a data center.Then, after residents expressed concerns, the project re-emerged in October as an “agricultural hydroponics research and development hub,” according to the company’s application. Whether or not it should be called an AI center was debated again at the November 12 meeting.
Tirusha Dave, Eco-Yotta’s chief executive officer, along with husband and Chief Technology Officer Prashanth Gorantala, contended it is not a data center. She argued the core function of the project is agricultural.
But Oneonta resident Jacey Chase said Eco-Yotta’s own social media posts used that very AI terminology Dave dismisses.
“The post that was removed says ‘Eco-Yotta powering the future of AI & data infrastructure,” he said, referring to content posted online at the Instagram account @ecoyotta. The post also contained hashtags: “#EcoYotta #TheFutureIsNow #AI #DataCenter.”
Chase said this post was up before the October town board meeting, then pulled down the day after. He offered screenshots of posts that had been removed.
Gorantala offered a presentation that ran nearly an hour, yet seemingly failed to address most of the board’s questions.
Interim Town Supervisor Brett Holleran voiced his concern over the amount of time that Gorantala had taken up to say nothing new to the board.
Town Councilmember Kim Fierke voiced her frustration, as she said, “I think it’s more than that. We are yet to see a business plan. I mean, it’s not just asking questions.”
Another board member, Joe Camarata, suggested a special meeting for Eco-Yotta to present additional information, instead of doing it at the monthly board meeting. The other board members agreed, as the topic had already taken up much of the October and November meetings. Officials decided to host the special meeting the day before their December meeting. That would place the special meeting on Tuesday, December 9.
A proposal to open a Stewart’s Shops location at the Emmons Farms Farmhouse property was also discussed. Chuck Marshall, director of real estate for Stewart’s, presented. The property owners are requesting to convert the parcel’s zoning from residential use to a B-2 general business district, which would provide for heavier commercial uses including a gas station. The application by Patton Land Development was previously denied at the October board meeting.
Marshall announced the Farmhouse restaurant building will be demolished. Previously there were hopes the building could be repurposed, he said, but it has since been condemned and will be removed.
The development of a Stewart’s Shops location at the intersection of State Highway 7 and County Highway 47 remains stalled. In addition to the rezoning application being denied, there remains confusion over a non-compete clause from the nearby Price Chopper. The board’s rezoning denial may be appealed, though Marshall said at this time there are no plans to file an appeal.
The board meeting concluded with a public hearing during which the town’s 2026 budget was adopted. The preliminary budget had been presented previously on November 6.
This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.
