McPHERSON COUNTY, Kan. — McPherson County Commissioners have adopted a six-month moratorium on new data centers in the unincorporated areas of McPherson County. As initially presented by Planning and Zoning Administrator Jon Kinsey, the moratorium would have been through January 1, 2028, but following an extended discussion that was reduced to about six months.
Kinsey said the purpose of the moratorium would be to allow the county’s Planning Commission to study how data centers would fit into the county’s comprehensive plan and what zoning regulations changes might be required.
The length of the initial proposed moratorium was questioned by McPherson Industrial Development Company board president Dawn Loving, who said they were not aware of this being proposed. Loving said a more than two-year moratorium initially proposed was unreasonable, but a much shorter time frame would be, with extensions to that as needed. She added it’s also important to have as many people involved with the discussion as possible.
There are currently data centers operating in McPherson County including two large ones in the city of McPherson and three “pocket facilities,” one of which is at the home of Nick Vontz just northeast of McPherson, who owns the two in-city data centers. Vontz also was supportive of a shorter moratorium, adding he’s willing to work with county officials and others to outline more of what is involved with data centers.
Many of these data centers around the country are involved in “cryptomining” related to digital currencies that have become increasingly popular. Vontz pointed out that this can also involve single unit systems seen in some homes connected with control systems used on heating and air conditioning systems along with things like water raters.
There are local investors involved in the existing facilities. One factor that comes into play with them is a need for them to be located as close to an electrical substation as possible, as they do consume a lot of electricity. Related to that, some utilities companies have designated sites where data centers can go, and the McPherson Board of Public Utilities has done this.
The original resolution was revised in such a way it would not impact existing data centers, and it also would not impact any centers within city limits such as the two facilities now in McPherson and any areas annexed into a city through and “island annexation” process.
Kinsey also presented the July Planning and Zoning Report, which indicated 13 zoning and three ag exemption permits were approved having a total construction value of 3.9 million dollars, much of which was represented by one residential expansion and one chicken barn project.
In other actions, Commissioners approved a just under $3,300 purchase of a double cage for a vehicle use for transport of prisoners from jail to court. Detention Captain Arlo Blevins said this cage will be installed in a Dodge Durango that will be transitioned from patrol use and would allow transport of two people at one time, saving on transport mileage and time.
Commissioners signed contracts agreed to last week with the Arnold group for a compensation and job description study, and on the bond that’s been posted by Enterprise connected with the pipeline crossing project across 14th Avenue or Old 81 Highway that is currently in progress.
The Commission deferred to next week action on furniture purchases for the McPherson County Building project, as they had some questions related to specific purchases and any possible options. Cost for what’s currently proposed is close to what they had allocated for that part of the project.
