KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas. Spring Hill, Kansas partially sits in Miami County and Johnson County, Kansas — this development sits in Johnson County. Ryan first told this story and has kept in touch with neighbors over the past two weeks regarding this development. He intends to follow future developments and stories in the community, on both sides of the county line. Please reach out to share your story with him and let him put your community on the map. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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A data center developer withdrew its application on Friday to rezone roughly 300 acres of land near 191st Street and Renner Road in Spring Hill, Kansas, for industrial development — a victory for a coalition of about 40 neighbors who spent two weeks fighting the proposal.
RELATED | Could massive project be coming to Spring Hill? Neighbors plan fight against 300-acre rezoning bid
"We have decided to withdraw our application and are no longer pursuing the opportunity near 191st and Renner," a statement from Bullock Capital and Colossus Advisors read Friday.
Spring Hill Mayor Chad Young also issued a statement on the decision.
"When working with developers on any project, the city's priority is always the best interest of our residents and community. In this case, the project and location ultimately did not align with those expectations," Young said.
RELATED | Spring Hill delays major industrial zoning hearing for March 25, calls special meeting
KSHB 41 Miami County reporter Ryan Gamboa followed up with neighbors who live near the proposed development site. They said the community response was swift and unified, though many say the relief is tempered by lingering concern.
"Excited yes, relieved yes, but uneasy still, yes," Sarah Grady said.
Grady said residents learned about the developer's withdrawal through news outlets rather than from the city.
"We didn't feel included in the decision-making process up to that point," Grady said. "To be told through the news outlets the developer pulled out, I would say we still really felt left in the dark."
RELATED | Developers drop application to develop possible data center in Spring Hill
Lindsay Museousky, who lives near the proposed development, said the coalition grew quickly once neighbors began organizing.
"It started off as a small tornado and we've built it into a huge one," Museousky said. "I'm begging strangers, they're not comfortable being on camera. Well neither am I, but if you want this, we have to fight together."
Museousky first reached out to Gamboa to share her story. She invited Gamboa to a neighborhood meeting of about 40 people who were putting together a plan to push-back on the plans.
"This is not a proper place for any kinds of industrial whatsoever," Mary Theis, who lives near the proposed development, said in February.
The coalition's success is one of the few in the Kansas City metro area. Opposition in Peculiar, Missouri, also stopped a data center proposal in 2024.
RELATED | Rural Miami County, Kansas, residents respond to $1 billion data center proposal
But residents say the fight is not over. Museousky said she believes the developer has not given up entirely.
"I do not think it's over. They're finding new locations," Museousky said.
Spring Hill updated its development code in October to allow this kind of industrial development.
Gamboa submitted a Kansas Open Records Request with the city of Spring Hill following his first report on February 23.
RELATED | Miami County Commission considers pause on data center construction following nearby $1B proposal
The city has yet to fulfill that request; citing publicity protections under state law.
Gamboa has fought the push back from the city by filing a complaint for non-compliance of KORA regulations with the Kansas Attorney General's Office.
Spring Hill officials have not publicly confirmed this development was a data center project, nor answered KSHB 41's questions regarding a non-disclosure agreement.
Colossus Data Center Advisors statement on Friday was the only clear indication this site was being considered for a data center.
RELATED | Marais Des Cygnes River at center of debate over proposed Miami County $1B data center deal
The city updated its code to add a provision permitting data centers in its industrial code. It also annexed the land in December.
Still, there has not been a firm answer from the city what the end goal of the dead project would be.
As KSHB 41 continues to search for answers into the origin of this project, neighbors are continuing to push for key guardrails in city development code.
A key concern for many residents is the proximity of the proposed site to local schools.
"School land is sensitive land, and we just want to make sure that we are making good decisions for our kid's learning," Michael Clutts said.
Clutts said the current zoning framework does not adequately address large-scale data center facilities and he want to see revisions.
"We'd like to see some zoning updates, cause data centers aren't really clarified as to what they need to be and where they should go," Clutts said. "And M1 industrial is supposed to be light industrial and these hyperscale facilities are very large. I think we need to get written into these that we need to get studies done before there is any permanent land changes. Especially when we're talking about the schools, we're within a mile, three schools within a mile."
Residents say they are watching closely to see whether the mayor's words translate into lasting policy.
"When the data center backs out, then they're for the community," Museousky said.
"We are just hoping the mayor said what he believes and believes what he said," Grady said.
Grady said the experience brought an unexpected sense of connection among neighbors.
RELATED | Preliminary renderings revealed for potential $1B Miami County data center project
"You realize you have more in common with people than you think," Grady said.
Jennifer Caldwell reflected on what the two-week fight meant for the community.
"I keep thinking about the kids who will never know how much we fought for them," Museousky said.
Ultimately, the group is the second community coalition that has helped defeat a data center proposal in the Kansas City metro. Caldwell attributes that success to the her neighbors fighting for something they believe in.
"People should not be afraid to step out and do something maybe outside of their comfort zone, but do it because it's right and what needs to be done," Caldwell said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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