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Riley County planning staff urges study, sets cautious tone on data centers and battery storage
Summary
Planning director Amanda Webb briefed the commission about data centers and battery energy storage systems, describing technical trade-offs (power, water, fire risk) and recommending use of the moratorium period to draft zoning criteria and review ordinances from peer counties.
Planning director Amanda Webb told commissioners the county has seen growing interest in data centers and battery-energy-storage systems and that the existing moratorium provides time to develop rules that balance potential economic benefit against infrastructure and community impacts.
Webb said the county needs to evaluate a range of variables—scale of facilities, location relative to power and water infrastructure, special-use permitting, fire risk tied to battery-storage systems, and whether tax abatements would be allowed. "Right now, I would just tell people we have a moratorium on them," Webb said, adding the moratorium prevents accepting applications while staff develops criteria.
Commissioners discussed trade-offs: larger “hyperscale” facilities demand significant power and water and may not be feasible in many parts of the county, while smaller facilities and battery projects present different questions around siting and impact. The board discussed avoiding blanket prohibitions and, instead, crafting standards tied to size, water and power availability, and tax policy.
Webb said she will gather sample ordinances and stay in contact with nearby counties undertaking similar work; commissioners asked staff to return with recommended regulatory options and training materials. No change to the moratorium was made at the meeting.
