Rezoning Change in Hancock County Denied
Hancock County's Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously denied a request to rezone 724 acres for a potential data center near Garner. The decision followed a public hearing with strong opposition from residents. The developer, MCNI, is likely to appeal the decision to the county's Board of Adjustment.
Hancock County, Iowa's Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously voted to deny a request for a zoning change to allow a potential data center near Garner. The decision came after a nearly three-hour meeting with a standing-room-only crowd and public hearing where approximately three-dozen individuals spoke, with the majority expressing opposition to the data center project. Garner resident and former Ventura mayor Doug Merbach argued that the focus should be on retaining existing jobs and expanding current businesses rather than attracting a data center.
LeAnn Blanchard also voiced concerns that data centers are not effective tools for economic development. Conversely, Garner city councilman Darrell Schumacher supported the rezoning, emphasizing the need for the development a data center could bring to Hancock County. Schumacher cited a Farm Journal article indicating a projected increase in data center electricity use to 9% by 2030, up from 4% in 2023.
The proposed development involved a limited liability corporation named MCNI, which sought to rezone 724 acres in Concord Township from agricultural to industrial. Following the commission's denial, a company representative stated that MCNI would likely appeal the decision to the county's Board of Adjustment.