Shawnee County planning commission recommends zoning changes for data centers

The Shawnee County Planning Commission has voted to recommend significant zoning changes, proposing that data centers, energy storage systems, and private and public utility structures be subject to conditional use permits. This decision, made in Topeka, Kansas, marks the initial phase of the county's assessment of potential data center developments. According to planning officials, these entities would only require a building permit if they met other specified requirements. While no concrete data center plans are currently known for Shawnee County, Commissioner Aaron Mays noted on WIBW's Eye On Northeast Kansas that there is considerable interest in developing such facilities in the area. Mays emphasized the need for a case-by-case approach due to the massive scale of these projects, some valued up to a billion dollars, which could generate substantial property tax revenue for the county, provided no exemptions are granted. The proposed zoning changes are set for a vote by the Shawnee County Commission at its meeting on June 11. In a related development, neighboring Pottawatomie County is actively engaged in discussions regarding a data center project by Beltline in the Emmett area, with their next planning committee meeting scheduled for May 21.