Yeah, this could happen very easily, especially in a small municipality. A hypothetical order of events:

A datacenter operator approaches the township, selling the town commissioners on a project that will make them an "AI hub". The town leaders don't know the correct questions to ask, especially regarding noise, but they know they'll be lambasted if they turn this down. And the developer claims they have a dozen other sites that are shovel-ready if this town gives them any hassle.

The neighbor probably gets a postcard in the mail letting them know about an upcoming development hearing. This postcard is easily overlooked among the day's junk mail, and it doesn't have many details, anyways. Or, perhaps the neighbor has an attitude similar to many rural residents, and figures whatever happens on their neighbor's property isn't their concern (these are large properties, after all).

Even if the neighbor does complain, they're one voice against the many that want to see new development in their town—perhaps the first in recent memory (other than the two Dollar General stores that drove their old independent stores out of business). And so much in small town government depends on interpersonal relationships; perhaps the neighbor isn't well-connected, or a town commissioner even has an old grudge against them.

All of this is happening with little notice from the public. The newspaper was bought out by Gannett a decade ago; it's now thrice-weekly edition is 90% wire service stories, with the local coverage consisting almost entirely of "hard-hitting" crime coverage written by a reporter who is also the only local reporter for three other papers.