With the continued discussion of a proposed data center in the city, the Warrenton Board of Alderman discussed an ordinance submitted by Alderman Christine Wait during their Oct. 21 meeting to establish a heavy industrial use zoning classification for the city.
Wait drafted the ordinance to try to mitigate any issues and set standards and guidelines for heavy industrial use projects in the city. She noted that the city currently has classifications for general and light industrial use, but not for heavy industrial.
“We do not have anything that is near what we need that is going to impact our community,” she said.
Wait also said her reason for drafting the ordinance is she felt the city needed to be proactive and begin discussing this ordinance before a proposal for a data center is formally submitted. Currently, a property north of the Warrenton West interchange is under consideration for a data center though no formal proposal has been submitted to the city.
As she discussed the ordinance with those in attendance at the meeting she said one of the other board members wanted to meet with the Warrenton Planning and Zoning Commission and have a work session where both entities could discuss the proposed ordinance.
Following the meeting last Tuesday, the board set the joint meeting with the planning and zoning commission for Thursday, Oct. 30, at 5 p.m. in the Warrenton Annex building.
Alderman Brandon Lang said he wanted the combined group to go through the proposed ordinance line by line and dissect the ordinance in its entirety.
Alderman Roger Romaker said he saw some good things in Wait’s proposed ordinance, but believes it is too narrow and wants to broaden it to include businesses other than data centers. Romaker also suggested that once any business proposal is made the board should have the option to add additional restrictions
Lang also said he wanted to have the city’s legal representation look over Wait’s proposed ordinance.
“We have to get this right,” Lang said. “We have to get this perfectly right for ourselves, for the community and for the people.”
During the Oct. 21 meeting, several residents again spoke up with concerns regarding the proposed data center project.
Resident Anna Farrar, who has spoken before the board multiple times, spoke in favor of the ordinance proposed by Wait. Farrar said, “the ordinances before you tonight are not anti-growth they are pro-responsibility. They give our city the tools to evaluate future projects based upon transparent standards, environmental stewardship and a long-term community benefit.”
She commended the board for considering ordinances.
Resident Craig Brinkman said there are consequences with data centers coming to the area. He referenced multiple states that have rejected data centers. He said he wants to keep Warrenton as a small-town community.
Resident Bryan Hogan, who said he is a project manager in the IT world, He said he doesn’t agree with the data center for many reasons. He said huge property tax abatements and energy discounts go to large companies. He also voiced concerns about the proposed data center’s immense water usage, noise and heat pollution. He said data centers are also a strain on local infrastructure. He added that the data center provides minimal benefits subsidized by taxpayers.
Warren County resident Raymond Bergeron, who has also spoken previously at prior board of aldermen meetings, asked about a potential remediation fund for those whose wells would be impacted by the data center. He reiterated his previous points that aldermen are tasked with protecting the residents of the area before anything else. He also requested a remediation zone for those who have properties near the property as it relates to tree cover.
