Palo city council advances data center ordinance with 4-1 vote after heated meeting
The Palo City Council advanced a proposed data center ordinance with a 4-1 vote after a heated meeting where residents raised concerns about water use, energy demands, noise, traffic, and farmland loss. This was the second of three required readings for the ordinance. Public opposition remains, with some residents advocating for stronger protections and a community vote.
The Palo City Council voted 4-1 to advance a proposed data center ordinance during a contentious meeting that saw residents pack the chambers to voice their concerns. This vote marked the second of three required readings for the ordinance.
Residents reiterated long-standing issues including water usage, energy demands, noise, traffic, and the potential loss of agricultural land. Several speakers called for stronger protections within the ordinance and demanded a community vote before any data center projects proceed. Conversely, Doug Sevey, a local data center owner, challenged some of the public's claims, particularly regarding water use and generator operations, while City Council member Darren Stoltenberg shared his firsthand observations from data center visits in Des Moines, noting their quiet operation.
State Senator Charlie McClintock also spoke in favor of the ordinance, emphasizing the inevitable expansion of data centers as essential modern infrastructure. City leaders clarified that individual data center projects would still necessitate separate applications, development agreements, and additional approvals, even with the ordinance in place.