First and Fifth Ward candidates share their views on data centers

The regulation of data centers has become a central theme in the race for the Columbia City Council's Fifth Ward seat, with the municipal election quickly approaching. Although hyperscale data centers from major tech companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google are not yet present in Columbia, both candidates and residents are actively forming opinions on how the city should manage their potential development. During recent election forums, residents have consistently questioned candidates, including Fifth Ward incumbent Don Waterman and his challenger Christina Hartman, about their stances on data center oversight. This public discourse extends to a controversial rezoning request that prompted numerous residents to voice their perspectives at a recent city council meeting. The outcome of these discussions and the election will likely shape Columbia's future regulatory framework for data center projects.