Six-month moratorium approved for new data center applications in Shawnee County
Shawnee County Commissioners have approved a six-month moratorium on new data center applications, effective until February 2027. This decision means the county will not accept or process new applications for data center establishment, construction, expansion, or operation during this period. The moratorium also impacts an existing conditional use permit application from Compass Datacenters, preventing the Commissioners from taking final action on it.
Shawnee County Commissioners unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new data center applications during a meeting on August 13. The resolution means the county will not accept, process, or take final action on any new applications seeking land use approval for data center projects.
Commissioner Aaron Mays, while generally not a fan of moratoriums, voted in favor, stating he didn't believe it would significantly alter the ongoing process for existing applications. Commissioner Bill Riphahn also expressed a desire for the existing process to continue without hindrance. The moratorium is set to expire on February 17, 2027.
The decision directly affects Compass Datacenters, which had submitted a conditional use permit (CUP) application to Shawnee County on July 24. This application was subsequently labeled "incomplete" by the county's Land Use & Development department on August 4. Under the terms of the newly enacted moratorium, commissioners explicitly stated they would not approve, deny, or otherwise take final action on the Compass Datacenters application during the moratorium period.