Franklin County's data center fight has left the public meeting hall and landed in the courtroom. Residents and the Franklin County Rural Coalition have filed petitions challenging rezonings covering about 1,103 acres tied to two proposed data center projects, one planned near Pacific and one near Gray Summit, arguing the county changed its rules for the developments only after the public had stopped weighing in.
Petitions Target Hundreds of Acres and Two Rezoning Votes
The lawsuit, reported by bizjournals.com, challenges rezonings for roughly 1,103 acres and argues the county made significant changes to its data center rules after public hearings had already ended. The petitions challenge approvals for the projects. Franklin County officials have not said what companies will ultimately use the facilities.
According to STLtoday.com, Franklin County Commissioners approved the zoning regulations for the two data centers, identified as the Diamond Farms and Crooked Creek projects, during a meeting at East Central College in Union on Sept. 15, 2026, over continued public outcry. The lawsuit challenges the approvals for the two projects.
An All-Night Hearing That Drew More Than 850 People
The roots of the dispute trace back to a Franklin County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting at Union High School on March 17, 2026. Hundreds attended the session and spoke out against the proposals, the station reported.
Among those who addressed the commission that night was Laura Hannah, who spoke against the proposed data centers.
Allegations of Rule Changes Made Without a New Hearing
The legal challenge centers on changes to the county's data center rules. The Missourian had reported earlier in the year that the county updated its proposed zoning-code amendments regarding data centers after the January meeting was tabled, with the planning and zoning commission expected to take up the new proposals at the March 17 session at Union High School.
The Franklin County Rural Coalition is challenging the approvals for the two data center projects. Opponents' concerns, as reported by Yahoo News, have centered on noise, water usage, lighting and heat from the facilities, and the Rural Coalition and the group Pacific Routes have both remained engaged in opposing the projects since the planning commission's vote.
Concerns Over Water, Property Values and Rural Character
Residents have raised concerns about water and other potential impacts, as well as the community’s rural future. One resident told STLtoday near the time of the September vote, “I'm worried about our watersheds and waterways,” reflecting worries that extended beyond zoning lines to the land itself.
Franklin County officials and project developer representatives did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. Amazon has announced plans for a data center in Montgomery County, a separate project. The outcome of the Franklin County petitions could shape how the county handles data center rezonings going forward, though no court ruling has resolved the case.
