Board of Douglas County, KS, Commissioners Work Session on May 6, 2026

The Douglas County, Kansas Board of Commissioners held a work session on May 6, 2026, focused on preliminary discussions regarding battery energy storage systems (BESS), data centers, and digital asset retrieval uses. Staff presented background research and regulatory considerations, emphasizing that no applications for these uses have been submitted and no decisions were made. The discussion covered zoning challenges, infrastructure capacity concerns (notably water and electricity), fire safety risks, and potential permitting approaches including conditional use permits and moratoria. Commissioners debated the timing of regulatory actions, the possibility of creating new utility zoning districts, and the need for further study including input from legal counsel and ongoing zoning diagnostics. The session concluded with agreement to defer detailed data center discussions until after forthcoming diagnostic reviews and to continue gathering stakeholder feedback before advancing any text amendments or prohibitions.