Jackson County legislators push to establish new data center guardrails amid growing community concerns

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Jackson County isn't new to conversations about data centers — but legislators wanted to make sure their constituent's voices were at the center of this one.

Jackson County Legislators Sean Smith and Venessa Huskey hosted a community forum to gather feedback on data centers and battery storage facilities, pressing an issue that has stirred concerns among landowners, utility customers, and community members alike.

Michelle Breslar, a Lexington, Missouri, resident, made her expectations clear.

WATCH | Jackson County legislators push to establish new data center guardrails

"We've got to have some very strict guidelines. We've gotta have policies that both sides can agree to," Breslar said.

The issues at stake are significant: multi-million dollar tax breaks, millions in property tax revenue, and the strain these massive facilities could put on the power grid.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Smith, who represents the 6th District, acknowledged the tension at the heart of the debate.

"I see both economic potential and I see the communities concerns," Smith said.

Part of the challenge: Jackson County's code simply isn't equipped to handle these types of developments. There's no established framework for how to even classify data centers, let alone regulate them.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

"These buildings might need something very different, so we are trying to get ahead of that," Smith said.

Huskey, who represents the 2nd District, made her position clear: if a data center developer wants to build in Jackson County, the county — not the developer — should be the one walking away with something.

"If it's done right, we could profit from it, we should get a tax break," Huskey said.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Huskey also pointed to the role of state and federal policy in providing protection for residents. Some safeguards are already in place. The Rate Payer Protection Act, which would help shield consumers' utility bills from the impact of data centers, stalled in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

"That's what's going to protect the state of Missouri, which will include Jackson county," Huskey said.

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The county legislature has until mid-December to evaluate what's next in regulating data center and battery storage developments.

"The goal here is, to see if we've got the whole list," Smith said.

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