Lyon County Commission passes pair of moratoriums on data centers and solar developments as part of weekly action meeting Thursday
The Lyon County Commission unanimously enacted two six-month moratoriums, one on data centers and battery storage, and another on solar projects, for unincorporated areas of the county. Commissioner Chris Bartel proposed the moratoriums due to rumors of a potential data center development and a lack of specific zoning regulations. The data center moratorium will expire on January 22, 2027, allowing time to develop specific zoning language.
The Lyon County Commission has unanimously enacted two moratoriums, one targeting data centers and battery storage systems, and another for solar projects, affecting the unincorporated areas of Lyon County. Commissioner Chris Bartel initiated the action, citing unconfirmed reports of a data center developer considering a project in the county and the current lack of specific zoning regulations for such facilities.
The moratoriums aim to provide County Zoning Specialist Sam Seeley sufficient time to research and update the county's zoning regulations. The data center moratorium is set to expire on January 22, 2027, while the solar moratorium will sunset on December 1 of this year. Evergy, which is planning a solar farm near Emporia, expressed opposition to the solar moratorium during the meeting. However, commissioners emphasized that the moratoriums are intended to ensure proper development and legal frameworks, rather than to halt projects.
Separately, Emporia City Commissioners approved rezoning for 11 tracts of land related to the proposed Flint Hills Digital Campus project, which city and county officials confirm will not be impacted by the newly enacted county moratoriums, as the county's authority is limited to unincorporated areas.