Pottawatomie County planning panel debates data-center rules, considers moratorium to protect farmland

At its meeting, the Pottawatomie County Planning Commission discussed whether to draft countywide regulations for data centers and whether to temporarily halt new approvals while rules are written.

Chair Judd McCormack said the county currently has no specific regulations for data centers and that the commission should focus on duties and mitigation measures rather than personal opinions. County Planner Bridget Snow reviewed potential impacts staff recommends the commission consider, including HVAC systems, setbacks, drainage, stormwater, and energy use, and presented zoning options including overlay districts and conditional-use permits.

Commissioner Travis Ross warned that “data centers can be huge water users,” and raised concern about removing productive farmland from agricultural use. Robert Busby, who had compiled draft regulatory language for the commission to review, said some operators might provide on-site power generation to meet their needs. Commissioner Doug Kern argued the county must weigh whether it would prefer to capture economic benefits from a facility located inside county lines, noting that electricity will be consumed whether the facility sits in Pottawatomie County or elsewhere.

Commissioners discussed concrete regulatory items they would like to see included: definitions of allowed cooling systems (Snow noted commissioners asked to consider closed-loop cooling and to prohibit evaporative systems), limits on total acreage devoted to data centers countywide, setbacks and buffer zones, requirements for stormwater and groundwater impact mitigation, and provisions to address noise, light pollution, and landscape restoration. The panel also asked that developer obligations be considered, including whether developers must fund additional fire protection or sign developer agreements that address public-safety costs.

Lynn Schwandt suggested placing a moratorium on new data-center approvals while staff drafts regulations; Nathan Henry echoed concerns about preserving prairie and suggested a moratorium directed at preventing loss of native grassland. The Chair urged staff to use the commissioners’ outline as the basis for a draft and suggested looking at Linn County, Iowa, regulations as one model. Snow said staff will begin drafting regulations for the commission’s review and that commissioners should consider a joint meeting with the Board of County Commissioners or a special Planning Commission meeting after April to continue the work.

Next steps: staff will produce draft regulations that reflect the items discussed; the commission indicated it may pursue intergovernmental coordination and, depending on timing, a special meeting to advance the rules.