News - Opposition Grows as Pacific Data Center Plans Stalled

PACIFIC, Mo. — Amid strong local opposition, a Planning and Zoning hearing concerning a proposed data center on 500 acres in Pacific, Missouri, was postponed. The meeting, initially reallocated to Pacific High School to accommodate a large turnout, was put on hold at the request of Beltline Energy, who cited incomplete funding agreements. The delay frustrated residents who filled the venue with signs and T-shirts protesting the development. Among the protesters was Janet Hubbard, a lifetime Pacific resident, who voiced concerns about the project's fit with the community. The paused hearing was set to address whether the city should annex and rezone the land in question, a decision that ultimately lies with the Pacific Board of Aldermen following a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Missouri Department of Conservation has also expressed concerns over potential impacts on local wildlife, including threatened species. Dana Bowers, another resident, emphasized the potential health risks to her family, suggesting alternative sites for the data center. Despite the project's current unknowns, the discord over its future continues, with calls from the community for transparency and detailed plans from the developer.