County Council takes first stab at data center regs

The Jefferson County Council in Missouri has taken its initial step towards establishing a regulatory framework for data center development, passing new regulations 5-1 on their first reading. The April 13 meeting saw the council introduce and pass several amendments, overturning some earlier decisions by the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding aspects like setbacks and building heights. Councilman Billy Crow, representing District 2 (Arnold), emphasized the county's proactive approach, citing the ongoing controversy and a lawsuit filed by the opposition group Wake Up Jeffco against the City of Festus and developer CRG Acquisition over a separate data center project. The proposed regulations, slated for two more votes, aim to address community concerns such as noise, water, and light pollution, as well as building and design standards. A point of contention was the inclusion of community benefit agreements (CBAs) and project labor agreements (PLAs), with Councilman Tim Brown (District 6, De Soto) voting against the bill due to concerns about potential legal risks for the county from developers. County Counselor Jalesia F. M. Kuenzel acknowledged the risk. However, other council members, like Brian Haskins (District 1, High Ridge), highlighted Virginia's experience with numerous data centers as a model, while Councilman Bob Tullock (District 7, House Springs) lauded Jefferson County for being "leaps ahead" in Missouri. Key amendments included reducing residential setbacks for data centers from 1,000 feet to 500 feet and establishing tiered building height limits based on the county's Master Plan (80 feet in urban, 70 feet in suburban, and 50 feet in rural growth areas). Additionally, an amendment requiring developers to identify archaeological sites and follow procedures for human remains was passed, a measure spurred by rumors of an unmarked grave at the Festus project site.