Marshalltown residents were invited to a public roundtable on Thursday, Aug. 26, to share ideas and concerns about potential data center development in the city. The meeting, held at the Coliseum from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., is part of the city’s effort to draft regulations that will guide future construction of data facilities.
City officials seek community input
Clayton Ender, the city’s assistant director of housing and community development, emphasized the importance of resident participation. “We want people to be involved,” Ender said, noting that the Planning and Zoning Commission has already held two work sessions on the issue, though no formal regulations have been written yet.
The proposed rules focus on three key areas: noise mitigation, water usage, and electrical consumption, all of which must comply with the Iowa Code. Ender explained that the city wants to ensure any data center projects protect local resources while supporting economic growth.
Moratorium and council actions
Earlier this week, the Marshalltown City Council approved the second and third readings of a four‑month moratorium on data center development. The moratorium, which began in early July, is set to expire on Nov. 23 unless the council votes to extend it by an additional 60 days. During the council’s vote, many residents expressed a desire to waive the third reading, hoping to move the discussion forward more quickly.
Following the council’s action, Swarm Systems CEO Amir Atefi presented a proposal for a 21‑acre site in Edgewood Industrial Park, a parcel owned by the city. Swarm Systems specializes in single‑tenant artificial‑intelligence data centers. The presentation lasted about 45 minutes and was followed by a question‑and‑answer session. Atefi, who was unavailable for an in‑person interview, said in a phone call that he remains eager to engage with the community and answer any further questions.
Next steps
City officials said the primary focus now is to collect as much public feedback as possible before finalizing the draft regulations. The draft will be presented to the Marshalltown City Council at its meeting on Sept. 17, where council members will consider adopting the new rules.
Ender noted that the council has not yet taken any action on the Edgewood Industrial Park land purchase, and no further steps have been taken on that proposal.
Residents who could not attend the roundtable are encouraged to submit comments through the city’s website or by contacting the Planning and Zoning Commission directly. The city hopes that broad community involvement will result in balanced regulations that protect local interests while allowing responsible technological development.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
