New questions follow Joplin’s 5-4 data center rules vote

The Joplin City Council narrowly approved new regulations for future data centers Monday night, including a last-minute change doubling the required setback from residential and public-use properties.

Council members voted 5-4 to approve Council Bill 2026-271. Before the final vote, Mayor Rob O’Brian proposed increasing the setback from 300 feet to 600 feet. That amendment also passed 5-4.

The ordinance establishes standards covering noise, cooling systems, water use, lighting and other potential impacts from data center developments.

Much of the public debate centered on the council’s earlier decision to remove a special use permit requirement. That permit would have required additional review and public hearings for individual data center proposals.

Several residents urged council members to restore the requirement, arguing it would provide another layer of public oversight.

Council members supporting its removal said the ordinance already contains enforceable standards and that an additional permit process would be redundant.

O’Brian said his decision to propose a larger setback followed a visit to a data center under construction in Smithville, Missouri.

“I wish we’d seen Smithville prior to the last council meeting because I think it would have given us a bit more perspective on what can be done,” O’Brian said.

Councilman Brian Cowles, who voted against the setback amendment and final ordinance, raised concerns Tuesday about whether doubling the setback represented a substantial enough change to require additional review under the Joplin Charter.

“I believe this was a substantial change to the ordinance,” Cowles said. “That raises a legitimate question about whether doubling this setback should have triggered that process.”

Cowles also said he wants more information about the potential effects of the larger setback on the project and related city matters.

The final ordinance was supported by O’Brian and council members Keenan Cortez, Josh DeTar, Eli Moran and Chuck Copple.

Cowles, Mary Price, Josh Bard and Ryan Jackson voted against it.

The 600-foot setback applies to residential and public-use properties for data centers citywide.