Residents file lawsuit against Independence after city rejects petition in battle over hyperscale data center
News ClipKSHB 41 Kansas City·Independence, Jackson County, MO·3/11/2026
Residents of Independence, Missouri have filed a lawsuit against the city after the city council approved a tax abatement for a large data center project. The Stop the AI Data Center in Independence group gathered signatures and filed an intent to seek a referendum on the council's decision, but the city denied the petition saying it violated the city charter. The data center project, which would occupy nearly 400 acres in the Little Blue Valley, has faced opposition from some residents who hoped to give voters a chance to override the council's 5-2 approval vote.
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Gov: Independence City Council
Residents in Independence, Missouri have filed a lawsuit against the city after it rejected their petition to put a recently approved tax abatement for a large data center project to a citywide vote. The Stop the AI Data Center in Independence group, led by Rachel Gonzalez, gathered signatures to seek a referendum but the city denied the petition, citing a provision in the city charter that excludes such referendums. The group has now sued the city, asking a judge to allow them more time to gather the required signatures and force a vote on the data center ordinance. The $150 billion data center project, approved by the city council, was praised by some as a major economic boost but opposed by residents concerned about its impact.