Lawrence, Kansas, may soon temporarily halt new data center projects amid resident concerns about water consumption, power demand, and broader quality-of-life impacts.
The proposed move would come before any large-scale project has even been filed in Douglas County, making it a proactive step rather than a response to a specific development.
What's happening?
Commissioners in Lawrence are set to review a draft ordinance that would pause data center development inside the city for a year, according to The Lawrence Times.
The measure was initially placed on the commission's consent agenda, but it was later moved to regular business, meaning it is set for fuller discussion during a July 14 meeting.
Public concern grew after residents noticed that the city's land development code, adopted in November 2024, permits large data centers outright in multiple zoning districts.
In light industrial, general industrial, and industrial business park areas, such projects could move ahead without automatically going through the kind of public review process that typically gives neighbors a chance to weigh in.
TCD Picks » Good Store Spotlight
Get 10% off your next purchase with code TCD10
Even though no large-scale data center proposal has been submitted in Douglas County, the ordinance is intended to get ahead of the issue, as residents worry facilities of that size could pressure local water and electric systems, add noise and light pollution, and change the character of nearby areas.
Why does it matter?
Data centers play an increasingly important role in daily life, powering everything from cloud storage and streaming services to the fast-growing AI industry.
However, these facilities also require enormous amounts of resources, particularly electricity for servers and cooling systems and, in some cases, large volumes of water to keep equipment from overheating.
AI can offer meaningful benefits, including helping utilities forecast energy demand, integrate renewable power into the grid, and improve efficiency. At the same time, the infrastructure supporting AI can come with major tradeoffs, including heavier electricity demand, strain on water supplies, cybersecurity concerns, misuse risks, and the potential for higher utility bills if grid upgrade costs are passed on to households.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Communities elsewhere are weighing similar pauses. A New York village is also considering a 12-month freeze on data centers over water and energy concerns, as data centers now account for roughly 6% of U.S. electricity use.
What's being done?
The draft ordinance would temporarily bar the city from issuing building permits, site plans, or special use permits for data centers for up to 12 months unless commissioners choose to amend or repeal the measure earlier.
It would not function as an absolute ban. Property owners could ask the city clerk for an exception or for the ordinance to be amended, and commissioners would have to consider that request within 30 days.
City staff also want commissioners to kick off a formal rewrite of the land development code's data center rules, which could set a more permanent framework for where and how data centers may be allowed in Lawrence. That process could ultimately reshape the city's zoning rules.
As Jeff Crick, director of planning and development services for the city, wrote, "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."
The agenda item further stated, "The text amendment will require ample research and analysis to determine the changes proposed with the text amendment."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
