This Kansas town courted a data center. So voters filed a petition to ban them

Residents of El Dorado, Kansas, a city of 13,000, have launched a citizen-led initiative to ban high-impact data centers and Type 2 and Type 3 battery energy storage systems, submitting a petition with over 335 signatures to the city. The petition seeks to overrule a recent decision by the City Commission, which earlier this month approved a regulatory framework that allows large-scale data centers through a special use permit process. If the signatures are certified by the Butler County clerk, the City Commission must either pass the proposed ordinance within 20 days or call a special election for voters to decide on the ban.

The citizen action stems from accusations that city officials misled the public and disregarded concerns during the June 1 meeting where the new zoning regulations were passed. Danica Dickson, a leader of the petition drive, stated that the commission and mayor have been dishonest and are not representing their constituents. Emails obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act by the group Protect the Heartland revealed that city officials, along with El Dorado Inc., an economic development organization, had been secretly courting a data center developer for months and had signed a nondisclosure agreement. These communications also showed plans for an "info campaign" to manage public perception.

City officials, including Commissioner Leon Leachman, have indicated they will consider the public's wishes, with Leachman stating that elected officials "cannot ignore the wishes of the people." City staff had previously recommended against a blanket prohibition on data centers, suggesting that a special use permit process offered a "better middle ground" to balance economic development with public review. However, residents argue these regulations do not adequately protect the community from the potential impacts of data center development.