St. Louis mayor signs data center regulations into law
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer signed into law new comprehensive regulations for data centers. These rules establish zoning restrictions, limit noise and heat emissions, and mandate renewable energy requirements. Additionally, city tax incentives for data center projects are now prohibited.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer has signed into law comprehensive data center development regulations after weeks of debates and setbacks. The St. Louis Aldermen had passed these new rules last Friday.
The legislation establishes zoning restrictions on where new data centers can be built, sets limits on noise and heat emissions, and mandates renewable energy requirements for these facilities. In addition to the development regulations, Aldermen also approved a companion bill that prohibits city tax incentives for data center projects. Mayor Spencer emphasized the significant role of resident and neighborhood leader feedback in shaping this policy, noting that hundreds and thousands of calls, emails, and communications were received, all taken very seriously.
It was clarified that a specific data center project for The Armory in Mid Town is not subject to these new zoning rules. However, the city will apply rules covering similar issues to the project's conditional use permit, suggesting a different existing regulatory framework applies to that particular development.