School Proximity

Summary

Saddle View Elementary School, which opened in August 2025, sits approximately 1,500 feet from the boundary of the proposed Project Tango data center. This proximity exposes young children to diesel emissions, industrial noise, and air quality degradation during their most vulnerable developmental years. No parent should have to choose between sending their child to the neighborhood school and protecting their health.

1,500 Feet: An Unacceptable Distance

To visualize 1,500 feet: it is roughly five football fields, or a 5-minute walk. At this distance, children at Saddle View Elementary would be well within the impact zone of a 3.69 million square foot industrial facility.

For comparison, many jurisdictions establish minimum setback distances between industrial facilities and schools:

• California's CEQA guidelines recommend 1,000-foot buffers between schools and sources of toxic air contaminants — and Project Tango would produce such contaminants
• Florida Statute 1013.36 requires school districts to consider "potential health hazards" when siting schools, but this applies to new school construction, not new industrial development near existing schools
• The EPA's School Siting Guidelines recommend avoiding locations near large stationary emission sources and recommends comprehensive environmental assessments

The fact that Saddle View Elementary was built and opened before the data center expansion was proposed makes the proximity even more problematic — families chose this school expecting a residential neighborhood, not an industrial zone.

Air Quality Impacts on Children

Children are uniquely vulnerable to air pollution. Their lungs are still developing, they breathe more air relative to body weight than adults, and they spend significant time outdoors during recess, physical education, and after-school activities.

Research on children's health near industrial facilities shows:

• Reduced lung development: A landmark study in the New England Journal of Medicine following 1,759 children found that those living in high-pollution areas had significantly reduced lung growth through age 18
• Higher asthma rates: Children within one mile of industrial emission sources have asthma rates 25-40% higher than children in cleaner areas
• Cognitive effects: A 2019 study in PNAS found that air pollution exposure during childhood is associated with reduced cognitive performance and lower academic achievement
• Increased school absences: Poor air quality days correlate directly with higher absenteeism, disrupting learning continuity

For Saddle View Elementary students, these are not hypothetical risks. Diesel generator testing, cooling system operations, and construction activities would produce emissions that drift directly toward the school during prevailing wind patterns.

Noise Impacts on Learning

The impact of noise on children's learning is well-documented:

• The WHO Guidelines for Community Noise recommend that classroom noise levels not exceed 35 dBA for adequate speech intelligibility
• The RANCH study (2005) found that chronic aircraft noise exposure at schools impaired reading comprehension by up to 2 months of learning per 5 dBA increase
• The U.S. Access Board recommends background noise levels below 35 dBA in classrooms

A data center producing 70-85+ dBA at its boundary would generate measurable noise at Saddle View Elementary. Even with distance attenuation, the constant low-frequency hum of cooling equipment would be audible during outdoor activities and could penetrate building envelopes, particularly in portable classrooms.

Construction Phase Risks

Before the data center even becomes operational, the construction phase would expose children to:

• Heavy truck traffic on roads near the school (diesel exhaust, road dust)
• Construction noise during school hours (pile driving, heavy equipment)
• Dust and particulate matter from site clearing and earth-moving
• Traffic safety risks from increased industrial vehicle traffic near school zones

Construction of a facility this size would likely take 3-5 years, meaning an entire generation of elementary school students would experience the construction impacts throughout their formative school years.

The Promise That Was Broken

Families moved to Arden in part because of the school. The Palm Beach County School District built Saddle View Elementary specifically to serve the growing Arden community. Parents chose their homes based on school zoning, proximity, and the promise of a safe, healthy neighborhood.

No one disclosed that the land next to their children's school had been approved for industrial use. No one told parents that their children might be breathing diesel exhaust during recess. This failure of transparency is a betrayal of the trust that families placed in their builders, their community, and their county government.

What You Can Do

Our children deserve to learn and play in a safe environment. Sign the petition to protect Saddle View Elementary and attend the April 23, 2026 County Commission hearing. Bring your children's stories — commissioners need to hear directly from the families affected.