Public meeting planned as Perryville toughens ordinance on data centers
Perryville, Missouri, is updating its local ordinance to establish stricter regulations for data centers, focusing on transparency, zoning, and environmental protections like closed-loop water systems. The city plans a public meeting to discuss the proposed changes, aiming to balance economic benefits with community concerns. This initiative comes as the city works to proactively manage the industry's rapid growth.
Perryville, Missouri, city officials are actively revising their local ordinance concerning data center development to implement more stringent regulations. City Administrator Brent Buerck stated the new draft ordinance aims for greater transparency, explicitly prohibiting non-disclosure agreements with the Board of Aldermen and building in public processes and hearings.
Key proposed changes include restricting data center construction to the city's industrial park and mandating closed-loop water systems for environmental protection, despite the city's strong water supply. The move comes as the city seeks to proactively manage the industry's rapid growth, balancing potential economic benefits with community concerns regarding environmental impact and rising electricity costs.
While residents express split opinions, with some worried about environmental and utility cost impacts and others seeing it as necessary for local development, Buerck emphasized the goal is to mitigate problems through smart local regulation. The city also plans to require a license for data centers and will host a public presentation in late August to inform the community further.