The St. Louis City Board of Aldermen has ironed out final regulations on data centers, sending them to the Mayor's desk.
The regulations require new data centers in the city to be green energy compliant within ten years of operation and have restrictions on noise and proximity to parks and residential areas.
Even if they were forced under these regulations, bill sponsor Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer doesn't believe the data center planned to be built in the warehouse behind the Armory is appropriate for the city.
"Right now the data centers that are operating in the city of St. Louis are operating with less than 10 megawatts of energy used and that is a huge difference between what this project at the Armory is proposing - 120 megawatts."
Currently the Armory is not subjected to these regulations after receiving their conditional use permit before this bill is enacted.
Schweitzer says she also expects an update to the city's noise ordinance to better regulate data centers. She adds Mayor Spencer is planning to sign the bill next week.
The head of Greater St. Louis Inc is applauding the new data center framework approved by aldermen.
In a statement, Managing Partner Ron Kitchens says the news zoning rules create a "path forward" for future data center development. Kitchens says it supports projects that positions the region to lead the digital economy.
