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Chair warns Marion County may be targeted by data‑center developers as nearby counties act
Summary
In an off‑agenda update the chair said regional debate over data centers and large solar projects has led at least one major developer to reconsider nearby sites, and he urged the commission to begin preparing local regulatory language.
During off‑agenda remarks, the chair told commissioners he had been tracking regional activity and developer interest and that changes in other counties could increase pressure on Marion County as a potential site for large‑scale computing or related facilities.
"It sounds like Google is pulling out of the Sedgwick County option because Sedgwick County didn't allow the large scale solar farm licenses or permits to go through," the chair said, summarizing conversations with industry contacts. He noted that other nearby jurisdictions were moving to ban or ballot measures on data‑center projects and said those shifts may push developers to seek locations in Marion County.
The chair said he would circulate proposed regulatory language and asked the commission to begin thinking about policies the county might adopt once the planning moratorium ends, emphasizing that Marion County should be prepared to respond to developer inquiries and to protect local interests.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; the chair said he would send proposed language to commissioners for review.
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