Push to ban large-scale data center development in St. Louis fails as zoning rules head to aldermen
St. Louis's Planning Commission has finalized new zoning rules for data centers after months of development and public feedback. These rules, which dictate location, size, and environmental/energy requirements, will now move to the Board of Aldermen for a vote. An amendment proposed by Aldermen Anne Schweitzer and Alisha Sonnier to ban large-scale data center development citywide was rejected by the commission.
The St. Louis Planning Commission has concluded its work on new zoning rules for data center development, forwarding the proposed regulations to the city's Board of Aldermen for final review and a vote. The rules, which have been in development for nearly a year and followed extensive public feedback, aim to regulate where data centers can be located, their maximum size, and introduce environmental, energy, and accountability requirements for these often noisy and high-consuming projects.
A notable amendment proposed by Ward 1 Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer and Ward 7 Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, both of whom sit on the commission, failed to pass. Their proposal sought to ban all "mega-scale" data center developments across the city, citing concerns over St. Louis's current monitoring and enforcement capabilities for such large, resource-intensive facilities. However, the commissioners were not persuaded.
The progression of these rules comes amidst heated citywide and nationwide debate concerning data centers. While these developments can offer significant financial benefits to local governments through tax revenue, public opposition frequently points to their substantial energy and water consumption, as well as their potential environmental impact. Opponents in St. Louis had even called for a total ban on new data centers.
Moving forward, the proposed rules will undergo further discussion and potential amendments by the full Board of Aldermen. A large data center planned for the old Famous-Barr warehouse in Midtown, approved while these rules were being drafted, is set to become the city's largest, with many of the draft regulations having been applied to its development agreement.