Linn County considers exception for Google as nearby Palo passes data center regulations
The city of Palo, Iowa, passed a data center ordinance to regulate potential development, while neighboring Linn County is considering an exception to its recently enacted 18-month data center moratorium. This comes as Google is reportedly eyeing a site near the Duane Arnold nuclear plant, which it is helping recommission, for a new data center that could be annexed by Palo.
The small city of Palo, Iowa, located outside Cedar Rapids, has officially passed a data center ordinance after months of public meetings. This new regulation establishes clear rules for any potential data center development within its city limits.
Simultaneously, Google is in discussions with both Palo and Linn County regarding the development of a data center near the Duane Arnold nuclear plant, which the tech giant is assisting in recommissioning. The proposed site is currently in unincorporated Linn County but could be annexed into Palo. Palo City Council member Eric Van Kerckhove emphasized that the ordinance positions the city to dictate terms for any future development. However, Mayor Bryan Busch clarified that Palo will not initiate annexation, only considering it if Google or Linn County submits a request. Some residents, like Shelley Jacobus, voiced concerns about the ordinance's adequacy in protecting against issues such as water and energy use, noise, and light pollution.
Concurrently, Linn County, which recently enacted an 18-month moratorium on data center applications in EU-3 zones, is exploring an exception. The Linn County Board of Supervisors has directed staff to investigate allowing data centers as accessories to nuclear plants in EU-2 zones. Planning & Development Director Charlie Nichols acknowledged this consideration is effectively project-specific, given the solitary nuclear plant in Iowa. A rezoning decision is anticipated to take several months, with draft language potentially reaching the Planning and Zoning Commission by mid-August.