Kirksville regulates location, environmental impact of data centers
The Kirksville City Council unanimously approved regulations governing the location, water use, noise and environmental impacts of future data centers within city limits. The rules effectively exclude hyperscale facilities, require closed-loop cooling systems and impose tighter nighttime noise limits, while county officials are considering regulations for areas outside the city.
Kirksville City Council unanimously approved new regulations for future data centers, limiting eligible projects to a small industrial area away from most residences and effectively preventing hyperscale facilities within city limits. The ordinance requires closed-loop cooling systems, which can reduce water consumption by up to 70% compared with open-loop systems, and sets continuous noise limits of 55 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night.
Mayor Zac Burden and city planner Diane Albrecht said water protection and environmental impacts drove the rules. Kirksville provides water to the Adair County Water District, which distributes it throughout the county. The city chose regulations instead of an outright ban partly because data center moratoriums elsewhere are facing legal challenges. Adair County has separately declared its intent to review rules for large-scale facilities, although no data centers have yet been approved.