AWS to host open house as data center application remains stalled with Walla Walla County officials
By Dan Thesman on Friday, July 31st, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
BURBANK — Walla Walla County Community Development reports that tech giant Amazon Web Services is taking its proposed data center project directly to residents next month, even as its development plans remain stalled with county officials.
AWS will host a community open house on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 4-8 p.m. at Columbia High School, located at 787 Maple Street in Burbank. The drop-in event features no formal presentation or program. County officials noted the gathering is hosted by Amazon as a courtesy to the public and is neither required nor sponsored by local government, nor does it serve as an official public hearing.
The event follows administrative hurdles for the tech company’s expansion plans in Eastern Washington. In June, Walla Walla County issued a notice of incomplete application regarding AWS’s submitted site development and environmental review filings.
Walla Walla County Community Development Director Melissa Shumake expects Amazon to submit its required Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) following the open house and ahead of an Aug. 24 deadline. According to Amazon, the company’s assessment is complete, but Amazon is choosing to engage residents before finalizing its submission.
The proposed facility stems from a February 2026 decision by the Port of Walla Walla to approve the sale of 554 acres in the Wallula Gap Business Park to Amazon. The property is zoned industrial agriculture – mixed, where data centers are classified as a permitted use subject to administrative zoning and environmental reviews.
Once AWS submits a complete application, county planners will issue an official notice of application, opening a public comment period under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act to evaluate potential land, utility, and environmental impacts.
Photo montage created using documents from AWS
