Kearney City Council Approves Data Center Regulations
The Kearney City Council has approved new data center regulations and a conditional use permit, making Kearney one of Nebraska's communities with the most stringent rules. This update was reported by the City Planner during a Planning Commission meeting primarily focused on residential rezoning recommendations.
The Kearney Planning Commission convened on September 18, primarily addressing two residential property rezoning requests. The commission unanimously recommended approval for a request by KDIVER, LLC, to rezone 1416 E. 30th Dr. from R-1 to R-2, converting a vacant six-plex into a four-plex to comply with current zoning. City staff had offered no specific recommendation but noted the property's long-standing R-1 zoning and potential neighborhood opposition.
Additionally, the commission unanimously recommended approval for a subdivision vacation, rezone, and final plat for Spruce Hollow West Fourth. This request, from DT Development, Inc., and Matthew and Caroline Weber, involved a 6.8-acre property within the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction, intended for future residential development, with city staff supporting all proposed actions.
During the report section, Kearney City Planner Melissa Dougherty-O’Hara announced that the city council had officially approved the data center regulations and a data center conditional use permit, measures that had undergone extensive discussion by the commission. Dougherty-O’Hara highlighted that Kearney's data center regulations are now considered among the most stringent in Nebraska, and she has received numerous inquiries about their development. She also mentioned a general slowdown in local development, citing the Federal Reserve's recent interest rate hike as a potential contributing factor.