Jefferson County committee reviews draft rules for data centers, eyes strict buffers, noise and water controls

Jefferson County staff on Monday presented a comprehensive draft of regulations intended to govern data centers proposed in the county’s unincorporated areas, stressing the rules are proactive and would not apply inside the cities of Festus or Pacific.

Mitch, the county staff presenter, told the Economic Development and Ordinance Committee the draft places data centers in Planned Business and Planned Industrial zoning as ‘‘per approved plan’’ uses that would require a development plan, a public hearing before the planning commission and legislative approval by the county council. ‘‘There is no project. There is no application. This is being done proactively,’’ he said.

The draft would set minimum performance standards for new data centers, require an environmental and community-impact analysis with each application, and adopt NAICS definitions so ‘‘there is no question as to what a data center is.’’ Mitch said the draft includes a series of design and operational controls—buffers and setbacks, landscaping with native Missouri species, lighting limits that meet Illuminating Engineering Society standards, and facade treatments facing parking areas.

On buffers and setbacks, staff showed examples for 10-, 50- and 100‑acre sites and recommended a common foundation of a 100‑foot landscape buffer and a 200‑foot structure setback for uses adjoining residential property. The draft already reduces some buffer…