Palo City Council advances data center zoning ordinance despite pushback from residents
Palo City Council advanced a data center zoning ordinance despite significant pushback from residents concerned about water usage, traffic, and pollution. Residents urged stronger regulations, a water study requirement, or a moratorium on data center development. The ordinance will undergo two more readings.
The Palo City Council moved forward with a new data center zoning ordinance after its first public hearing, where approximately 150 residents from Palo and surrounding Linn County communities voiced strong opposition. The ordinance was prompted by Google's announcement to build a 545-acre data center on annexed land near Palo, rather than in unincorporated Linn County.
Residents raised concerns over potential negative impacts, including excessive water usage from the Cedar River (estimated at 14 million gallons daily), increased traffic, and light and noise pollution. Many urged the city to adopt stricter regulations similar to Linn County's ordinance, which requires a water study and a water use agreement with the county. Palo's current draft relies on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for water permit approval and does not mandate a water study, a point of contention for residents like Jennifer Leaven, who worried about wells drying up in unincorporated areas.
Mayor Bryan Busch explained the city omitted the water study due to the ordinance covering both large and small data centers, and cited the DNR's