Mayor Kevin King Town Hall on UDO Ordinance and Battery Energy Storage Systems

The City of Independence, Missouri held a town hall meeting on September 24, 2026, focused on discussing amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) related to data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS). The meeting addressed proposed changes including increasing setback buffers for data centers from 500 to 1,000 feet, revising environmental justice language, and requiring special use permits for major data centers (2.5 megawatts and above) to ensure city council approval. Public concerns were raised about noise, environmental impacts, safety risks of BESS, water usage, and enforcement of regulations. The council emphasized the importance of community input and transparency, noting that the current moratorium on data center approvals would remain in place for 180 days even after UDO adoption. Questions about enforcement capacity, decommissioning processes, and potential moratorium extensions were discussed. No formal votes were taken during the meeting, but the council indicated ongoing efforts to refine the ordinance and address community concerns before final approval.