(Adair Co) The Adair County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing this morning on an ordinance regulating the placement of data centers.
A draft ordinance on setbacks was created after the Supervisors heard from Nick Phillips and Lance Cummins of Applied Digital about a possible data center location near Adair. Adair County currently does not have a Comprehensive Planning and Zoning plan and that is why they have created these ordinances.
One of the biggest concerns heard from residents pertains to the unknowns.
Clel Baudler noted that businesses are leaving on the coasts due to government regulations.
Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer said his intentions are not to stop anything or prevent growth in the County.
Nick Phillips, with Applied Digital, said if the county wants to apply setbacks to all commercial properties, they are used to that and they don’t see any issues. He said they just need more time to provide all of the answers.
Supervisor John Twombly said they should do what the County Attorney suggested and take no action on the ordinance.
The board voted three Nays to two Ayes on Twombly’s motion to take no action, therefore the motion did not pass.
Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer made a motion to change language in the ordinance with setbacks for property lines at 300 feet, occupied area to 500 feet, farm building to 500 feet, occupied building to 500 feet, occupied residence to 1,200 feet, and change the wording from “Data Center” to “Commercial or Industrial Building of over 50,000 sq. ft.”
The motion and first reading of the ordinance passed.
The Supervisors then set a public hearing for the second and third consideration of this ordinance for May 8th at 9:15 a.m.
The final item on today’s agenda was a discussion with Jeremy Rounds with Southern Iowa Council of Governments who provided the Supervisors with information on comprehensive planning and zoning ordinances.
