Gathering thoughts from Springfield residents is central to the city's efforts to research and come up with regulations on data center developments. The city, alongside City Utilities, is hosting public input sessions to engage the public, offer insights from subject matter experts and allow for questions to be answered.
Springfield City Council passed a 120-day administrative delay on data center applications in late June to give time for the city to evaluate a long-term policy framework to use when reviewing data center proposals.
The first of two listening sessions to gather public feedback is scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 2431 N. Glenstone Ave.
The next public listening session is scheduled from
4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, at the Library Center's Hatch Auditorium, 4653 S. Campbell Ave.
What to expect from engagement sessions
City's Chief Spokesperson Cora Scott shared with local news media on Wednesday, Aug. 26, that the listening sessions will include six stations, each dedicated to a different topic and subject matter experts. Attendees will be split into six groups, and, because of anticipated high attendance, experts will rotate between groups. Participants are encouraged to attend the entirety of the two-hour sessions to provide input on all topics.
Here are the six stations and the central questions they will explore:
- Electricity: How can the city and CU safeguard customers from potential increases in electric utility costs as data centers consider locating here?
- Water: How can the city and CU protect community water resources in regards to both quality and quantity?
- Land Use & Facilities: What can the city do to ensure neighborhoods and green spaces can continue to thrive when considering the development of data centers?
- Nuisance: What can the city do to ensure sound is not an issue as it relates to potential data centers?
- Safety: What can the city require to ensure safe operations of data centers and ancillary facilities?
- Community Benefits: What areas/programs/services in our community would you like to see benefit from additional revenue?
Each station session will include a topic introduction, subject matter expert sharing information, and a dedicated time for questions and answers. A note taker will also be situated at each station to ensure comments are captured to later be presented for city leaders to review.
Scott said a citywide online survey would launch Thursday, Aug. 27, and physical comment cards will be available for folks to leave additional comments. Feedback can be sent to the city via email at city@springfieldmo.gov and communicated via phone on the city's hotline at 417-864-1700. Information is also available on the city's website at www.springfieldmo.gov/datacenters.
"There's no, you know, foregone conclusions of what this might look like," Scott said regarding a regulation framework. "We're just in the data-gathering phase."
The consulting group Habitat Communication & Culture is helping the city host public engagement sessions. Scott shared the contract is not to exceed $35,000 and is funded through the city manager's contingency fund.
While currently the pause is set to expire in October, City Manager David Cameron said during his report to council Monday, Aug. 24, that the 120-day period could be extended further if city staff and elected leaders need additional time to determine regulations. Scott said if the two listening sessions scheduled meet capacity, another session could be organized in the future.
Behind the scenes, Scott said, the city has had a core multi-disciplinary team meeting to prepare for the question of how to approach data centers. She also said the city is having regular conversations with Greene County to share feedback received from the public. According toprevious News-Leader reporting, CU has put together a large load taskforce and a review process that ensures existing customers don't subsidize data centers and large load customers pay for system improvements to ensure reliability.
Data center plans in Springfield
Because of the administrative pause on any data center proposals, Scott said no plans can presently move forward for such a development in the city. Prior to the passage of the delay, she confirmed that formal pre-development conversations had occurred between the city and Trent Overhue, owner of Plaza Towers who was involved in the data center development in Marshfield, regarding a property at 2900 S. National Ave. Overhue could not be immediately reached for comment.
Since that conversation, however, Scott said a rezoning application has been submitted for the property to be rezoned from a planned development to C-MX2, or Commercial Mixed-Use Community. According to the planning application shared with local news media by Scott, the rezoning is being pursued to allow a veterinary clinic/hospital on the siteand was submitted on July 15, after the data center pause was in effect. National Veterinary Associates is listed as the property owner.
Scott said there is no mention of a data center in the application. The rezoning is set to go before Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission on Thursday, Sept. 10, she said.
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: What to expect from Springfield data center public engagement sessions
