Planning director shows construction photos, flags data-center moratorium expiry Nov. 12

Amanda Webb, Riley County’s planning director, showed drone and site photos of a multi-year construction project (referred to in the meeting as the "Keith" project), reported construction is proceeding with a recent change order, and said staff will continue coordinating environmental and EPA-related steps.

Webb also told commissioners she has scheduled a 30-minute presentation with Evergy (utility) later in October to discuss data centers and battery energy storage systems and solicited topics for that session. She reminded the commission that the local moratorium on data-center applications is set to expire Nov. 12 and urged commissioners to consider whether to extend the moratorium while awaiting impending state legislative action or to adopt local regulations. "The moratorium is expiring on November 12," Webb said, adding that the commission can extend, repeal or revise the moratorium depending on policy direction and legislative developments.

Why it matters: The moratorium expiration creates a near-term policy decision point on data-center siting and regulations; the Evergy briefing and potential moratorium extension could shape local standards and development timing.