The vote was 7-1 in St. Charles City Tuesday night to permanently ban large data centers. Residents had organized against a site off 370 for nearly a year, raising concerns about water, electric rates, and the mayor's family ties to the land.
During the bill's public hearing, Councilman Brian Gould turned to those residents directly, "The people here tonight that are in red shirts, you got us to this point. You saw this across the finish line. Your voices have been heard."
Ward 10 Councilman Steve Hollander cast the only vote against the ban.
Small server rooms inside hospitals, colleges, and offices are exempt.
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To hear more about the data center issue in Festus where a 13+ hour meeting took place this week click here
Communities across the country weighing similar projects have been watching St. Charles
Communities across the country weighing similar projects have been watching St. Charles
