Columbia seeks to delay any data center applications for one year

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council on Monday will introduce a bill aiming to delay any application for data centers within the city.

City documents say the city is looking to delay “the acceptance or processing” of data center applications for a full year.

Documents note the council passed an ordinance at its previous meeting that created a new zoning definition.

“During the discussion of the proposed text amendments, staff reported that in addition to the current proposed amendments to define and make data center a conditional use, staff was also continuing work on evaluating the need for appropriate use-specific standards for data center uses,” city documents say.

The building and inclusion of data centers have been highly contested around the country, including Mid-Missouri.

Amazon has sought to build a data center in Montgomery County and saw intense pushback from its residents at several public meetings, which culminated in a lawsuit to attempt to block it from happening. Critics of data centers typically point to excess water usage and increased use of electricity.

The planning and zoning commission had recommended a definition of a data center to the council earlier this year.