Central City council supports data center
The Central City council is moving forward with plans to allow a new data center, crafting a new ordinance to regulate the facility. While Mayor Don Gray supports the project for its economic benefits and tax revenue, residents are raising questions about community protections. The data center is proposed to be 18,500 square feet and will use a closed-loop cooling system.
City leaders in Central City, Iowa, are progressing towards allowing a new data center to be built, with the City Council actively working on a new ordinance to govern its operations. This proposed ordinance is designed to set rules regarding the data center's proximity to residential areas and noise levels, reportedly mirroring regulations already established in nearby Palo.
The proposed data center facility is slated to be approximately 18,500 square feet, situated next to the Linn County Fairgrounds. This scale is considerably smaller than the hyperscale data center projects that have generated significant public pushback across Iowa and the country. Mayor Don Gray expressed his support for the project, emphasizing the substantial tax revenue it could bring to the small community, which he believes would help in keeping property taxes low.
However, residents are vocalizing concerns and questioning what specific protections will be implemented for the community. In response, council members highlighted that the data center would utilize a closed-loop cooling system, significantly minimizing its water consumption to only what is needed for general uses like bathrooms and cleaning. The unnamed company behind the data center project is scheduled to host a public question and answer session to address community inquiries.