Franklin County P/Z recommends one or two data centers

The Franklin County Planning and Zoning (P/Z) Commission has made split-vote recommendations regarding two proposed data center developments and an amendment to unified land-use regulations. Developers had previously touted billions in economic gain for Franklin County from these projects. With an 8-1 vote, P/Z recommended approval for one data center proposed along I-44, adjacent to the Shaw Nature Preserve. Conversely, in a 4-5 vote, the commission recommended denial for the Beltline Energy data center, which was proposed on Crooked Creek land near the City of Pacific’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. Boles Township commissioner Mike Klenke recused himself due to a conflict of interest, and P/Z Vice President Debbie Willette voted against all data center-related topics. The commission also discussed a proposed amendment to land-use regulations, which seeks to streamline the rezoning process for applicants by bypassing the P/Z commission before reaching the County Commission. The public reaction to the P/Z decisions was largely negative, with audience members at the Union High School gymnasium chanting "shame on you." The Pacific ROOT Coalition, an opposition group, expressed frustration and noted difficulties hearing the proceedings. Coalition members Alison Quennoz and Sam Dean voiced concerns about the suitability of the proposed locations, arguing that data centers belong in industrial or metropolitan areas, not rural settings. They also highlighted significant worries about the local infrastructure's ability to support hyperscale data centers, specifically citing inadequate water capacity for cooling systems. The final decision on both data center proposals and the land-use regulations amendment rests with the Franklin County Commission, comprising Dave Schatz, Paul Overschmidt, and Ken Cox. A public hearing is scheduled for late May or early June, with the final vote expected at a subsequent meeting. The Pacific ROOT Coalition has indicated plans to file a lawsuit if the County Commission approves the rezoning requests, citing a lawyer used in a similar data center debate in Festus.