With the extension of an administrative delay on data centers in Springfield likely forthcoming, the city is laying out two possible paths forward into 2027. One option would be be the prohibition of data centers in Springfield while another would regulate but allow such developments.
Springfield City Council held a public hearing on an extension of the delay on accepting and processing of data center applications that has been in place since late June on Monday, Oct. 26, as well as a hearing on language that would create a definition of three categories of data centers in City Code. Council is set to vote on both matters at its next meeting, Nov. 16. Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of both at its Oct. 15 meeting.
Both approaches, a ban and regulation, would be presented to Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission at the same time on Thursday, Jan. 7. Both options would then go to council, with P&Z's recommendations, at special meetings. The first reading and public hearing would take place on Tuesday, Jan. 19 with a possible final reading and vote at a special meeting a week later on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
The city's chief spokesperson, Cora Scott, said both of the special meetings will be held at the Springfield Regional Police and Fire Training Center, at 2620 W. Battlefield Road, in the evenings.
City Manager David Cameron said Monday that this timeline will still provide ample time for a delayed vote in case any amendments are made to the bill council takes up prior to the extended moratorium expiring Feb. 24. Substantial amendments to bills require a public hearing to be carried over, postponing a final vote.
The regulatory framework that will be presented to P&Z and council will be shaped by feedback received across three public engagement sessions. Scott said, while not yet drafted, the prohibition of data centers option would likely be specific, not a blanket ban on every scale and type of data center. According to additional information provided by Scott, beyond land-use considerations, infrastructure requirements and potential impacts involving electricity, water, wastewater, public safety and environmental considerations are also being evaluated.
Local tech community expresses concerns over definitions
The definition in front of council Monday would define data centers as "a building, or a room or portion of a building, used to house Information Technology Equipment for the storage, management, processing, or transmission of digital data, including server farms, artificial intelligence training or processing, image processing, cloud computing, email services, cryptocurrency or other digital-asset mining, and similar uses."
It would also set to classify the developments into three classes: an accessory data center, a micro data center and a large-load data center. An accessory would be inside the principal building, taking up no more than 20% of the gross floor area, serving only the owner or tenant and using less than 1 megawatt of power. A micro data center would be no larger than 10,000 square feet in size and use less than 5 MW. A large-load center would be anything beyond either of those measures.
Several members of the Springfield Tech Council spoke Monday night, raising concerns that the proposed definitions are overly broad and would classify some existing facilities and businesses as data centers. Speakers included Cameron Rose, a partner with internet provider WON Communications, who said the definitions would categorize the company's work as building data centers simply for setting up "fiber huts" for business internet needs.
"What we build is low impact, low power usage, does not use water. I would just ask that council consider a bit more thorough writing of the definitions, and if they would also consider bringing in some people that work in the industry," he said. "It feels difficult to regulate an industry when you don't actually know what they do and how they do it."
Kevin Waterland, owner and general manager at Pitt Technology Group, echoed these concerns and said that if these definitions were used to then set regulations the business, which employs 57 people, could be forced to move out of Springfield.
Although the Tech Council largely expressed support for responsible data center development as a way to grow the regional economy, several other speakers spoke against data centers in Springfield, citing environmental concerns and health impacts.
With the text amendment to create the definition, the city staff are not identifying what, if anything, to prohibit or declaring where developments that fall under the definition should or should not be located.
Justin Crighton, assistant director of Planning & Development, said the definition will be revised and fleshed out further when staff present proposed regulations in January. He said the current definition was crafted after a review of how other municipalities around the state have defined the developments, with Springfield's version being particularly close to that used in nearby Ozark.
While several speakers and council members called for industry experts to be a part of the work to create definitions and regulations, Cameron noted feedback was intentionally sought publicly and openly for all to come to the table.
"It was not to create a perfect definition; it was to present it and show that it was not pre-baked," he said, reiterating that future revisions of the definitions and any regulations will go through the public hearing process as well.
Several council members questioned whether the proposed extension of the moratorium would allow sufficient time to complete the work the city seeks to do without a rush. City Attorney Jordan Paul said there was no particular "magic" about the 120-day period the city had originally picked for the administrative that now is set to be extended. He said the council could lengthen the period or choose to extend the pause again later. Cameron noted he believed the Feb. 24 deadline was currently sufficient for what city staff want to accomplish.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield council to evaluate data center regulations, ban in 2027
