Franklin County to hold public hearing on data centers Monday morning
Franklin County, Missouri, is holding a public hearing on proposed data center regulations and specific rezoning requests. Local residents are voicing strong opposition due to concerns about noise, construction, and resource usage. The County Commission will make the final decision regarding these projects.
The Franklin County Commission in Missouri is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Monday morning regarding proposed data center regulations and several associated rezoning requests. This meeting is expected to draw a large crowd, as the issue has become highly emotional for residents.
Two of the rezoning requests are for land where large data center projects could be built, one in the Diamond Farms area near Robertsville Road and Diamond Trails Lane, and another in the Crooked Creek area south of Pacific, near Highway O.
The Franklin County Planning and Zoning Commission previously recommended approval for the Diamond Farms project but opposed the Crooked Creek project, with both votes being close at 5-4. Residents living near the proposed sites have expressed significant concerns about potential noise from generators and construction, extensive water and power consumption, and the overall impact on their rural way of life.
Ahead of the meeting, resident Keith Ketcherside questioned why such large projects are being considered for farmland rather than existing developed areas. The county commissioners will use this meeting to gather public comments before making a final decision, following a prior 10-hour meeting in March on the same topic.