St. Joseph City Council to vote on data center pause, Benton High School parking expansion

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The St. Joseph City Council is set to vote on adding parking spaces near Benton High School, installing security cameras at Felix Street Square and an emergency ordinance that would temporarily pause new data center projects.

The council will vote on an ordinance to add 55 parking spaces along Southwest Parkway at the request of the St. Joseph School District.

The request states the additional parking is needed to accommodate the increased number of students attending Benton High School as part of the district's redistricting process.

Another item on the agenda is to vote on an ordinance to affirm the purchase of security cameras at Felix Street Square. The $59,030.60 project will be funded using state RiverBluff ARPA funds.

The cameras would be purchased from All Systems Go. The city said the installation of the security camera is designed to deter criminal activity, assist law enforcement in investigations, and enhance the overall sense of safety for individuals utilizing the space.

Additionally, the city said adding the security cameras will be an asset to the community by helping create a safer environment for residents, visitors, and event attendees while preserving the square.

The council will also vote on an emergency ordinance that would temporarily pause new data center projects. The ordinance will direct the city manager to provide actions to address the unique characteristics, demands, and impacts of data center construction and development.

The emergency ordinance comes after the council held a work session on July 13 to review zoning and land use policies for data center development.

During the work session, city officials agreed to seek outside assistance to update the city's zoning code. They also agreed to stop accepting new data center applications until the zoning codes are updated.

The St. Joseph City Council meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 20, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.