Post updated at 4:50 p.m. Friday, July 10:
Lawrence city commissioners will soon consider implementing a one-year moratorium banning data centers in Lawrence. However, the proposed ordinance does leave room for exceptions.
The draft ordinance was originally published Thursday as part of the commission’s consent agenda. The consent agenda is a list of items that are generally deemed routine and approved with one motion unless a commissioner asks to pull a specific item for discussion. The item was moved to the commission’s regular business agenda on Friday.
The issue has gained attention in Lawrence after some residents realized the new land development code, which city commissioners approved in November 2024, would allow massive data centers to be developed in several zoning areas around town by right, without a public process through which residents could object.
Currently, data centers would be permitted in areas zoned for light industrial, general industrial and as industrial business parks. They’d also be allowed by a special use permit in certain mixed-use zoning or the downtown commercial district.
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Community members have voiced concerns that large-scale data centers could strain water and electricity supplies, increase noise and light pollution and alter the character of surrounding land.
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No plans have been filed for a large-scale data center within Douglas County, but advocates have asked Lawrence city commissioners to implement a moratorium as a preventive measure.
Commissioners agreed last month to ask city staff members to bring back a moratorium for their consideration within 30 days.
“The proposed ordinance provides time for staff to research Data Center uses and provide the City Commission with information so they may make a decision on altering the Land Development Code via a text amendment,” Jeff Crick, director of planning and development services for the city, wrote in a memo to the commission.
Under the proposed ordinance, no building permit, site plan or special use permit will be issued for a data center for any property within city limits “from the effective date of this ordinance until either twelve months from the effective date of this ordinance or until the City amends or repeals this ordinance, whichever occurs earlier.”
However, it does include a loophole that a person with an ownership interest in any property in the city may file a request with the city clerk to seek an exception or amendment to the ordinance. If the city receives such a request, the commission will hear the request within 30 days and then consider whether to lift the moratorium “with respect to the real property in question.”
See the draft ordinance at this link.
City staff are also asking commissioners to initiate a text amendment to the land development code regarding data center uses, which would be a more permanent solution. That request was added to the agenda Friday.
“The text amendment will require ample research and analysis to determine the changes proposed with the text amendment,” the agenda item states. “At this time, staff anticipates that this may require significant resources that may require the division to delay or suspend other long-range and special projects.”
Meeting info
The meeting will begin with general public comment at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. The regular meeting will begin at 5:45 p.m.
Since the data center moratorium was moved to the regular agenda, it will be a public comment item, but comments about it will not be allowed during the general public comment period.
The commission accepts written public comment emailed to [email protected] until noon the day of meetings. The commission also hears live public comment during meetings, both in person and virtually.
City commission meetings are no longer livestreamed on YouTube. In order to watch the meeting online remotely, attendees must join via Zoom at this link, which also allows participants to provide public comment virtually. Meeting recordings are uploaded to the city’s YouTube channel the next day.
See the commission’s complete meeting agenda at this link.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at [email protected]. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
