Latest push to halt data center proposals in southern JoCo wanes
The Edgerton and Gardner City Councils in Johnson County, Kansas, recently denied proposed six-month moratoriums on data center development, despite significant community opposition. This decision follows the Edgerton Planning Commission's denial of an $860 million data center proposal from DAMAC Digital. Residents expressed disappointment, citing a lack of environmental answers and feeling unrepresented by their council members.
Edgerton, Kansas – The Edgerton City Council recently voted 3-2 to reject a proposed six-month moratorium on data center applications, becoming the second community in Johnson County to deny such a ban this month, following a similar decision by the Gardner City Council on June 1. The decision in Edgerton, made without council discussion, has drawn strong criticism from residents like Kim Twente, who expressed disappointment and a feeling of being unrepresented by their council in favor of corporations. Councilmembers Deb Lebakken and Ron Conus, who voted against the denial, cited ongoing concerns about environmental impacts.
This rejection comes days after the Edgerton Planning Commission denied an $860 million data center proposal from Dubai-based DAMAC Digital, which sought to convert a nearly 400,000-square-foot warehouse into a data center. The article notes a history of local contention over development, including a 2020 annexation by the city of Edgerton that was challenged by residents and eventually resulted in a lawsuit by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach against the city, though the city ultimately prevailed in court last year.
During public comment, five residents spoke against data centers and advocated for a moratorium, with some requesting a longer ban. Conversely, James Oltman, president of Elevate Edgerton, an economic development partnership, spoke against the moratorium, arguing it creates uncertainty and pauses investment. Edgerton resident William LeFalce called for a three-year data center moratorium, updates to zoning codes, and the resignations of city council members, emphasizing the need for community oversight.
While some proposals have been withdrawn, such as one in Spring Hill and another from a California-based company in Gardner, a significant $3.1 billion data center project in De Soto by California-based Beale Infrastructure has already been approved and is underway, with an estimated seven-to-nine-year build-out.