Peculiar, Missouri, blocked data center development years ago and has no regrets
The small Missouri city of Peculiar successfully blocked a proposed data center project from Diode years ago through a zoning change and a temporary moratorium. Residents and city officials organized against the development, citing concerns about community character, environment, and property values. Current officials express no regrets as the city continues to grow without the data center.
The city of Peculiar, Missouri, located in Cass County, preemptively blocked a proposed data center project from developer Diode years ago through a significant rule change and a temporary moratorium. This action took place before data center development became a widespread point of contention across the Kansas City metro area and nationwide.
Residents organized against Diode's plan for a large data center on 500 acres of agricultural land near an electrical substation, raising concerns about its impact on community character, the environment, property values, and infrastructure. Chad Buck, a lead organizer, now advises other communities on how to navigate similar data center proposals, emphasizing the need to classify hyperscale data centers as heavy industry and prioritize transparency in local government decisions.
In April 2024, the Peculiar Board of Aldermen initially voted to allow data centers in light industrial areas. However, intense community opposition and debate led the board to place a temporary moratorium on data center applications in August of the same year. By October 2024, the board reversed its initial vote, effectively prohibiting data centers in any commercial or industrial zone within Peculiar. This decision ultimately halted Diode's project.
Current Peculiar officials, including Mayor John Shatto and Alderman Robert Wells, express zero regrets about the decision, noting that the city has continued to grow with new housing and businesses, bringing in tax revenue on its own terms. The controversy in Peculiar also saw turnover in elected officials, including the resignation of then-Mayor Doug Stark in 2025, who had supported the data center project.