Franklin County residents urge commissioners to put proposed data centers to a countywide vote, cite water and health concerns
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Summary
Dozens of residents told the Franklin County Commission they oppose proposed data center parks, presented petitions totaling thousands of signatures, and asked commissioners to hold a countywide referendum and require independent environmental studies before rezoning farmland.
Dozens of Franklin County residents told the county commission during a public-comment period that they oppose proposed data center parks and want a countywide vote on rezoning.
Residents, many of whom identified themselves and their addresses, presented documents and petitions they said show sustained local opposition. One speaker calculated the initiative petition threshold as 5% of voters from the last gubernatorial election — citing 55,464 Franklin County voters in November 2024 and saying that would require 2,773 signatures — and asked whether the commission would respect a voter rejection of data centers. Organizers said local petitions had gathered thousands of signatures (one speaker reported 6,176 signatures locally as of the night before, with additional local and national petitions bringing opposition totals toward 10,000 county residents).
Speakers who identified themselves by name included Matthew Voss, who said he lives near the Diamond Farms site and presented research on environmental and health impacts; Jennifer Moody of the Franklin County Rural Coalition, who noted a March 17 meeting that drew about 1,000 attendees and provided more than 900 pages of written testimony; and John Rose, who said Camp Solidarity and its members are near the Crooked Creek site and worry about noise, light and water impacts. Other named commenters—Dan Krupinski, Patty Gibson, Keith Catcherside, Dana Bowers (reading written testimony from an Amy), Rhonda Brackett, Elizabeth Bennett, Amy Thompson, Jessica Nicodemo and Rachel Maxwell—raised related concerns about groundwater use, endangered aquatic species, noise and light pollution, emergency response, and the quality and transparency of information provided by developers and county staff.
Several speakers urged independent, nonpartisan environmental studies — including hydrology analyses — and asked that developers pay for those studies so the county and residents can evaluate water and other risks. Jessica Nicodemo asked whether emergency evacuation and fire-response plans have been coordinated with area schools and local fire departments for sites that would sit within a few miles of multiple elementary schools. Rachel Maxwell, citing recent Clean Water Commission discussions, flagged temperature discharges, erosion and nitrate runoff and said no permits had been submitted to Franklin County yet.
Multiple speakers cited Missouri statute 49.650 and argued the commission can submit ordinances or resolutions to a countywide vote; several asked the commission to exercise that option rather than make a final rezoning decision solely through the three commissioners. Organizers presented petitions and QR codes to commissioners and urged greater transparency and public forums so residents can discuss concerns directly with elected officials.
The commission ended public comment and moved to agenda items. No formal vote on rezoning or a referendum took place during the meeting.
Ending: The commission did not take action on the proposed data center rezonings at this meeting; residents said they will continue gathering signatures and pressing for a countywide vote.
