A stretch of unincorporated land between Walford and Fairfax is drawing fresh attention from data center developers, and local officials are moving to make sure they aren't left out of the conversation. The pull is a high-voltage transmission line running between the two small Linn County towns, and it's already brought at least one developer knocking on Walford's door.
According to Radio Iowa, developers are eyeing a new area in unincorporated Linn County, and that high-voltage line is a major reason why. A potential developer already approached Walford about a project within the unincorporated area but near the city's boundaries — and notably, the developer did not want to pursue annexation into the city itself.
That detail matters because it leaves the project under the county's jurisdiction rather than Walford's own zoning rules, prompting city officials to seek a different kind of leverage. Walford wants an agreement governing review of projects that could affect its future growth, and officials there have approached Linn County about a fringe-area arrangement, the station's report notes. Linn County is supportive of the idea, and the proposed agreement would apply to data center construction on county land within two miles of Walford.
Fairfax Weighs Joining the Arrangement
Fairfax is also interested in joining the arrangement, and the two towns appear to want residents to have a voice in how data center development unfolds nearby, per the same account. A separate report from citizenportal.ai indicates the Fairfax City Council discussed whether to participate, asked for example agreements from similar arrangements, and invited input from Walford and Linn County at a follow-up work session.
The proposed deal would determine review authority, annexation procedures and zoning coordination in the overlapping two-mile extraterritorial areas the two towns share with the county, according to that same report. Nothing in the available record indicates whether Fairfax has since decided to formally join, or whether Walford's proposed agreement has been finalized.
County's Zoning Rules and Pending Moratorium
Linn County Planning and Development Director Charlie Nichols told Radio Iowa there's likely going to be development interest around that transmission line in the foreseeable future, a sign county planners expect more inquiries like the one that landed in Walford's lap. The county has already adopted zoning rules for unincorporated-area data centers, addressing building setbacks, noise standards, traffic and road impacts, emergency planning and site plan review, according to CBS 2 Iowa. Large projects must also complete a water study and enter into a Water Use Agreement with the county, per that outlet.
Linn County also has a moratorium on new data center zoning applications in unincorporated areas, though sources differ on its end date — Radio Iowa reported the freeze runs through the end of 2027, while The Gazette reported it applies only to unincorporated Linn County through January 1, 2028, with developers still able to build in cities like Palo in the meantime. The Gazette also reported the 18-month pause was chosen so the county could complete a comprehensive water study and allow time for possible state legislation on data centers.
Regional Coordination and a Cautionary Precedent
Linn County is putting together a regional data center advisory board aimed at broadening collaboration around development, Radio Iowa reported. Linn County Supervisor Brandy Meisheid has encouraged other municipalities in the region to reach out to the board about developing a shared regional approach, the Gazette report notes.
The push for coordination comes as data center development expands rapidly across Iowa, driven by the state's relatively cheap land and energy, according to Iowa Public Radio. Ten counties statewide already have data center ordinances in place, while more than 40 others are drafting them, the station reported.
Nearby Palo offers a cautionary tale for why towns are moving to lock down review authority early. Google informed Linn County of plans for a six-building data center campus on 545 acres of unincorporated land next to the Duane Arnold Energy Center, then sought to annex that land into Palo rather than build under county rules, according to Inside Climate News. That outlet reported Google representatives had been closely involved in shaping Linn County's data center ordinance and had verbally agreed to an economic development plan with the county covering annual community payments, a strategic partnership fund and environmental commitments — an arrangement the annexation move would sidestep, along with a committed $500,000 contribution toward a regional water balance study.
