Pacific, Missouri

Beltline Energy withdrew its rezoning application for a proposed $16 billion data center just minutes into a special Pacific Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday, drawing frustration from a packed high school auditorium.

The company cited an inability to finalize a funding agreement for the facility off Highway O in Franklin County. Attendees who came to speak against the project were left without the chance to address the commission. It's currently unknown when the project will return before the city.

Independence, Missouri

Data Centers // February 17, 2026

Oklahoma advances bipartisan data center bills as Midwest communities from Missouri to Michigan pack meetings over moratoriums, tax incentives, and zoning. READ MORE.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

The Independence City Council is expected to vote Monday on a financing plan that includes $6.2 billion in tax breaks for Nebius's proposed $150 billion AI data center campus.

Under the plan, the city would own the property and lease it back, with Nebius making PILOT payments projected at $651.5 million over 20 years to schools, the county, and other public agencies. The Independence School District alone would receive over $463 million. The city also expects $35 to $55 million per year in new general fund revenue from a separate PILOT arrangement tied to electricity. Nebius would receive 98% real property and 90% personal property tax breaks. School and union officials have signaled support; residents have organized against the project over environmental concerns and the scale of incentives.

Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania

Air Products asked the Upper Macungie zoning board to postpone a hearing on its proposed 2.6 million square foot data center complex, saying the company hasn't decided whether to move forward.

The project would place three data center structures on a 194-acre site at 7300 Cetronia Road. Air Products filed the application before the township changed its data center zoning rules in December, aiming to preserve its rights under the prior code. The board agreed to continue the hearing to May 27.

Columbia County, Georgia

A citizen filed two lawsuits challenging Columbia County's approval of data center rezonings for the White Oak Business Park and Pumpkin Center projects.

ColumbiaSuperior_2026ECV0297_Petition_watermark.pdf

Google Docs

Gregory P. Guido Jr. filed both petitions on Feb. 25, alleging procedural defects, incomplete analysis, and conflicts with the county's comprehensive plan. The petitions argue commissioners approved the rezonings without verified water or sewer capacity analysis and relied on a June 2025 traffic study prepared for a previous version of the project. The Pumpkin Center petition also alleges the rezoning moved forward despite an incomplete Development of Regional Impact review, which the state had paused specifically for data center projects.

Sanford, Maine

An out-of-state company is seeking to build an AI data center and industrial campus on more than 1,000 acres of wooded land in South Sanford, facing local pushback and a possible moratorium.

The complex, proposed by New England Energy Company, would be called the Sanford Woods Industrial and Technical Campus and include a cold-storage facility and large agricultural greenhouse alongside the data center.

Festus, Missouri

Data Centers // February 23, 2026

New Brunswick scraps data center after protest erupts outside City Hall; Minnesota opponents demand statewide moratorium; Dryden, NY becomes first town in the state to ban data centers.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Festus Mayor Sam Richards called a special City Council meeting for Thursday to vote on an ordinance that would allow the city to hire a group to negotiate an agreement with developer CRG for a proposed data center.

Richards said he believes it's in the best interest to negotiate an agreement "expeditiously" and promised multiple upcoming public meetings where residents can weigh in on specifics. Community feedback remains divided, with supporters citing economic development and opponents raising concerns about noise, water, and power usage.

Sedgwick County, Kansas

Sedgwick County announced two town hall meetings on data center zoning, scheduled for March 12 (a public listening session) and March 31 (a planning department session on zoning protocols).

The county currently has no data center applications on file. A 90-day pause on new applications expires April 17. "Public discussion and transparency are vital parts of this process," said Chairman Jeff Blubaugh.

West Rockhill Township, Pennsylvania

West Rockhill supervisors approved the advertisement of a zoning ordinance amendment to regulate data centers, acting preemptively before any proposal has been filed in the township.

The amendment defines data centers and regulates building structures, accessory uses, and equipment. It requires centers to be powered by solar energy and served by public water and sewer, restricted to the township's industrial district along State Road. A public hearing is set for April 15.

📊 Industry Signal

U.S. data center capacity under construction fell to 5.99 GW at the end of 2025 from 6.35 GW a year earlier, per CBRE. Permit bottlenecks and power delays are compounding even as demand remains strong.

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