Kansas City, Missouri, moves to the forefront of data center zoning with new ordinance

Kansas City, Missouri, has reclassified data centers as industrial facilities and launched a review of their impacts on water, power, climate goals, and economic growth. This move is being watched closely by other U.S. communities, as some have already passed or proposed moratoriums on data center development to study the issues further. The Kansas City City Council adopted a stricter zoning code for data centers and directed the city manager to evaluate their impact. City managers from across the U.S. have asked for copies of Kansas City's ordinance, indicating that this is a nationwide issue. Data centers in Kansas City use six times as much energy as the municipal government, raising concerns about the city's climate goals.