Sedgwick County approves 90-day pause on data center applications

Kate Devine Jan 14, 2026

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. (KAKE) — Sedgwick County commissioners on Wednesday approved a resolution placing a 90-day pause on new data center applications as county leaders study how those facilities should be regulated.

The resolution temporarily halts zoning and building permit applications for data centers, which are defined as facilities that house networked computer servers for data processing and storage. Commissioners said the pause will give staff time to research potential impacts and develop policies, including how data centers could affect water use, energy demand and surrounding communities.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the pause, which can be extended or ended by the board if more time is needed.

County Commissioner Jim Howell said the delay is meant to address unanswered questions about the industry.

“What this delay does is give us a chance to verify whether there is something we need to do specifically about data centers,” Howell said. “They are different enough that they might require special regulations or special handling, like setbacks, noise pollution, light pollution and hazardous waste. A lot of people have concerns about water consumption.”

County officials said there are currently no data center applications filed in Sedgwick County.

Still, some neighbors who live between Colwich and Andale said the issue has been building for months.

Kaitlyn Grueneacher, who lives in the area, said discussions began late last summer after neighbors learned companies were exploring land for potential data center development.

“Late summer, early fall, neighbors were signing NDA contracts with a company called Monarch Energies out of Sacramento, California,” Grueneacher said. 

Grueneacher said she was frustrated the county did not choose a full moratorium, similar to one previously used for solar projects.

“They just got done with the moratorium for solar, and that’s what we have been emailing and asking for, a moratorium on data centers,” she said. “If these businesses come in here, we want to make sure we have the correct regulations in place to hold them accountable.”

She said residents are concerned about how data centers could impact water, air quality and energy resources.

“These are industries that affect our water source. They affect our energy,” Grueneacher said. “We have questions and concerns about air quality. They use generators as part of their power source, and we’re concerned about the effect that would have on our community.”

County leaders emphasized that the 90-day pause is flexible and could be extended.

“If it’s 90 days, that’s great. If it’s 120 days or 180 days, we’ll find out when we get there,” Howell said. “We want to take the time we need to do this and do it right.”

Grueneacher said she worries the timeline may still be too short.

“I think that 90 days is a very short period of time to really understand the entirety of this industry and the ramifications it can have on our county and our state,” she said. “I don’t want to see progress at an expense higher than it needs to be.”

Commissioners said staff will continue researching data centers and potential regulations during the pause before any future applications are considered.

https://www.kake.com/home/sedgwick-county-approves-90-day-pause-on-data-center-applications/article_1a81d82e-63c6-4d00-9048-c378b3b20c8c.html