Franklin County commissioners to vote on data centers Tuesday
Franklin County Commissioners are set to vote on two controversial large-scale data center projects, one near Pacific and another in Villa Ridge. Community members have voiced concerns over noise, water, and electricity usage, while proponents cite economic benefits. Commissioners may also consider new general regulations for data centers in the county.
Franklin County Commissioners in Missouri are scheduled to vote on two large-scale data center projects on Tuesday. The meeting, moved to East Central College to accommodate a potentially large crowd, follows months of controversy and packed public meetings where community members voiced strong opposition. Concerns cited by opponents include noise, water, and electrical usage, and disruption to quality of life. Conversely, proponents highlight economic benefits such as revenue and jobs.
One proposed project involves a developer seeking to build a data center on nearly 500 acres of farmland in the Crooked Creek area, south of Pacific near the Merrimack River. The second proposal is for another developer to construct a data center on almost 600 acres of farmland in Villa Ridge, near the Shaw Nature Reserve. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended approval for the Diamond Farms project but not the Crooked Creek proposal, though the County Commission is not bound by these recommendations.
In addition to the specific projects, commissioners are expected to consider general data center regulations for Franklin County. Opponents are particularly concerned that commissioners might approve a guideline allowing data centers to be built 1,000 feet from a home, a change from past potential regulations that stipulated a 1,000-foot setback from a property line. The meeting is set to begin at 9:00 AM.