City leaders outline data center deal breakers, pledge 21-day public review
Emporia officials outlined conditions for any agreement involving the city’s proposed digital campus, including hundreds of permanent jobs, financial guarantees, neighborhood protections and a 21-day public review. Voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to prohibit high-impact data centers, while officials continue to weigh the legal effect of that measure and possible future development negotiations.
Emporia Mayor Becky Smith, City Commissioner Tammy Ogle and City Manager Trey Cocking said any development agreement for the proposed digital campus would need to provide substantial employment, community benefits, financial protections and safeguards against increased utility costs. They also discussed protections involving noise, dust, roads, stormwater, wastewater, pollution, decommissioning and a voluntary buyout option for property owners within 500 feet of the site.
The officials pledged to make any proposed agreement public for 21 days before a City Commission vote. No operator has committed to the project, and no agreement is in place. Emporia voters are scheduled to decide Nov. 3 on a petition-driven prohibition of high-impact data centers; city leaders said a court determination may be needed to clarify whether the prohibition is enforceable and what legal obligations it would create.