Two Groups Sue Franklin County Over Data Center Approvals
Pictured Above: Two lawsuits seek to overturn Franklin County’s data center rules and rezoning approvals covering about 1,103 acres near Pacific.
Date Posted: October 13, 2026
Posted In: Discussion, Environment/Sustainability, Projects,
From St. Louis Business Journal: Two groups and nearby property owners have filed separate court actions challenging Franklin County’s approval of a new ordinance and rezonings for two large data centers.
The petitions, filed Oct. 8 and 9 in Franklin County Circuit Court, ask a judge to overturn the approvals and prevent the county from issuing permits for data centers on the affected properties.
Vocal Pushback From Residents
The suits come as some governments, including St. Louis city, have moved forward with data center projects despite vocal pushback from residents at meetings over environmental and utility usage concerns, and as a major local business lobby has argued for their economic importance.
One Franklin County action was brought by Pacific ROOT Coalition LLC and several landowners whose properties adjoin or are near the proposed Beltline Energy project near Pacific. It challenges the rezoning of about 490 acres for the planned Meramec Valley Technology Park, along with the county’s new data center rules. Beltline Energy’s project is planned on property at 684 Phelan Road.
Second Action Challenges Rules
A second action, brought by Franklin County Rural Coalition and several residents, challenges the data center rules and all three rezoning orders approved Sept. 15. Those orders cover 39.5 acres owned or controlled by Diamond 66 LLC, 573.3 acres tied to Diamond Farms LLC and 490 acres controlled by BLE Landholdings LLC. Together, the parcels total about 1,103 acres.
The Diamond parcels are part of the proposed Gateway Digital Campus, a 13-building project planned south of Interstate 44 near Highway 100 and the Shaw Nature Reserve. Developer Provident is involved in the project. The property for Gateway Digital is owned by entities tied to Louis B. Eckelkamp III, president of Bank of Washington.
Both petitions argue that the rezonings depended on a data center use that was not permitted in the affected zoning districts when public hearings were held. They also allege that the county adopted significant changes to the data center rules after the hearings without holding another hearing.
Petition Would Require Development Agreement
Among the changes cited in the Beltline petition are a required development agreement, a $10 million escrow and potential liquidated damages of $20,000 per day for violations, as well as revised setbacks and noise rules.