'We the people': Ottawa ballot petition seeks ordinance to ban future data center developments

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In December 2024, Ottawa city commissioners entered a sales contract with Lightfield Energy LLC. The agreement outlines the $5.3 million sale of Proximity Park.

Several residents have told KSHB 41 News they feel like the Ottawa City Commission is not listening to their concerns.

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“I don’t have a lot of answers to questions," said Ottawa resident Steven Baker, who signed the ballot petition. "When I’m uncomfortable with something, I’m going to be against it.”

RELATED | 'It’s not politics': Ottawa residents gather signatures for proposed ordinance to ban data centers

Franklin County resident Jessica Christopher says she lives about a mile from the possible development. She drafted the ballot petition's proposed ordinance.

“It stops the city from being able to allow or construct any data center that uses more than 25 megawatts of power," Christopher said last week.

The signatures Ottawa United needs to collect equal 40% of the number of people who voted in the previous regular city election.

Jake Weller/KSHB

The Franklin County clerk initially estimated the group would need around 500 signatures, but after the final review of the 2025 general election results, Ottawa United was notified this week it needs to gather 658 qualifying signatures.

Under Kansas law, if the signatures are verified, the Ottawa City Commission will have 20 days to approve the ordinance, or it will go before voters on the November ballot.

“They’re not signing that you don’t want it (a data center) or that you do want it," said Brenda Bluma, an Ottawa resident who is helping collect signatures. "All we’re doing is trying to get it on the ballot in November so that we can see what the citizens of Ottawa want.”

As of Thursday, Christopher estimates the group has gathered around 450 signatures. Ottawa United hopes to collect the remaining 208 by next week to ensure it meets a 20-day timeline that began July 22.

Jake Weller/KSHB

"We’re trying to get it on the ballot so that we the people get to vote and it’s not just the city commission," Hornbeck said to an Ottawa resident as she went door to door.

Ottawa United has held multiple signing events across town, including drive-through signing events at Forest Park.

When Bluma and Hornbeck approached Patricia Hodges' door on Thursday, the 40-year Ottawa resident signed the petition.

"I hate that we have to go this far to get them to listen," Hodges said.

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The sales contract between the city and Lightfield Energy LLC says the development project could receive a 75% property tax abatement.

If the data center development goes through, city staff estimates it would generate approximately $30.5 million in property tax revenue in the first 10 years.

During a December 2024 commission meeting, Ottawa Commissioner Mike Skidmore said negotiations with Lightfield Energy LLC began in August 2024.

Ottawa residents and Christopher told KSHB 41 News in June that they were unaware of the city's negotiations with Lightfield Energy LLC until the Dec. 18, 2024, commission meeting when the sales contract was approved.

After being granted two extensions, Lightfield Energy's due diligence period ends Aug. 1.

As of July 1, Lightfield Energy LLC had not submitted applications with specific building sites, utility requests or building permits to the city, according to Ottawa City Manager Thatcher Moddie. Those applications are required for a development to move forward.

KSHB 41's Lily O'Shea Becker reached out to the city of Ottawa and Lightfield Energy LLC Thursday afternoon and did not hear back by the time of this publication.

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