St. Louis County considers data center guidelines
St. Louis County Planning Commission is reviewing proposed guidelines for data centers in unincorporated areas, including tiers, noise studies, and energy/water analysis. Public comment is open until August 31. The proposal faces both support for jobs and tax revenue and criticism regarding environmental impacts and noise.
The St. Louis County Planning Commission is currently reviewing a new set of guidelines for data center development within unincorporated areas of St. Louis County, Missouri. The proposed regulations categorize data centers into four tiers and would require developers to conduct noise studies, analyze energy and water consumption, and implement landscape buffers. Public comment on the draft proposal is being accepted until August 31.
Supporters, such as Avery Frank of the Show Me Institute, argue that zoning data centers as industrial is a sensible compromise that brings jobs and tax revenue while addressing resident concerns about noise. However, critics like Fenton resident Corbitt Shannon express apprehension about environmental impacts, noise pollution, and the rapid pace of technological evolution in the industry, suggesting that government regulation might struggle to keep up.