Public commenters urge supervisors to enact data center moratorium

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors engaged in a public discussion about a potential data center moratorium following comments from residents. Marshall County Zoning Commissioner Tyler Kelley announced that the county zoning commission intends to meet in August to consider a temporary data center moratorium to establish rules and regulations. This comes after the Marshalltown city council held a lengthy discussion on a proposed four-month moratorium for similar reasons.

Residents Zach Hamilton and Maggie Valentine expressed concerns about the rapid industrial development, including data centers, around Marshalltown and urged supervisors to protect current lifestyles and property values. Mayor Mike Ladehoff had previously confirmed that data center developers are eyeing Marshalltown.

Supervisors Carol Hibbs, Christian Goodman, and Board Chairman Jarret Heil acknowledged the need to gather information and understand the variables associated with data centers. Hibbs emphasized her information-gathering phase, while Goodman highlighted his long-standing interest in the topic. Heil noted the "devil's in the details," suggesting a nuanced approach while also recognizing the demand for data centers and the evolving nature of the technology. He also supported the idea of city and county regulations being similar for continuity, but cautioned against premature ordinances that might become outdated quickly. Public commenters advocated for a temporary moratorium to allow time for thorough research and the development of comprehensive regulations.