Franklin County rezones land for two data centers
Franklin County, Missouri, has approved the rezoning of land for two data center projects, the Beltline Energy Project and the Gateway Digital Campus. This decision was made despite significant opposition from local residents and advocacy groups. The county is now reviewing further regulations to allow the projects to proceed.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners in Missouri unanimously approved the rezoning of land for two data center developments, the Beltline Energy Project and the Gateway Digital Campus.
The Beltline Energy Project is slated for an area south of Pacific along Highway O, while the Gateway Digital Campus is planned near the Shaw Nature Reserve along I-44. This decision, made during a September 15 meeting, was met with strong condemnation from local residents who have consistently voiced heavy opposition to the projects, referring to them as a "gold rush."
Advocacy groups like the Pacific ROOT Coalition and Franklin County Rural Coalition have been at the forefront of the fight against these proposals. While the rezoning has been approved, Franklin County Planning and Zoning indicated that developers have reached out to proceed, but the county first needs to review specific regulations from the board before moving forward, a process expected to take a few days.