St. Louis County holds public hearing on proposed data center regulations
St. Louis County held a public hearing to discuss proposed regulations for data centers, as its current zoning ordinance lacks a definition for them. Residents expressed strong opposition, advocating for a moratorium on data center development due to concerns about health, environmental impacts, water, energy, and noise. The proposed ordinance aims to restrict data center locations in residential, park, and flood plain areas.
St. Louis County recently held a public hearing to address proposed regulations concerning data centers, as the county's current zoning ordinance does not explicitly define these facilities. While there are no immediate proposals for new data centers in unincorporated St. Louis County, the county's planning commission is considering new rules in anticipation of future developments, a trend seen across the country.
During the hearing, nearly 20 residents voiced their strong opposition to data centers, with many advocating for a complete moratorium on their development. Concerns raised included potential health impacts, particularly in North County areas with existing radioactive contamination, and the unsuitability of flood zones for such facilities, citing personal experiences with past floods.
The proposed ordinance, crafted since the spring by county staff and an advisory group from construction trades, seeks to regulate data centers by addressing issues such as water and energy consumption, and noise levels. Crucially, it proposes to prohibit data centers from being located in residential, park, or flood plain areas, thereby significantly limiting potential development sites within unincorporated St. Louis County. Jacob Trimble noted that while larger facilities receive the most scrutiny, the regulations are based on the real impacts on the community. Residents, however, expressed a desire for a greater role in the drafting process, emphasizing the need for their voices to be heard at every level. The county is currently accepting written feedback on the proposed rules until the end of the month.