Joplin Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting - July 13, 2026

The Joplin Planning and Zoning Commission met on July 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM. The meeting included new member Randy Skinzel (Jasper Products), approval of previous minutes, and public hearings on five cases. The commission approved three street/alley vacation requests by Water Garden, two rezoning requests, and a text amendment establishing use standards for data centers. One public comment was made in opposition to the data center amendment.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Glenn (representing Water Garden) spoke in favor of cases 022-26 (513 South Grand Avenue), 023-26 (529 South Kentucky Avenue), and 024-26 (709 East 15th Street). He described the properties as dead-end alleys or streets that would not become throughways and noted that Water Garden owns adjacent land. Case 024-26 relates to future parking for a tiny home project, with construction expected to start late summer/early fall 2026.
• Seth Houston spoke in favor of case 025-26 (southwest corner of 20th and Willard), requesting rezoning from M2 and R1 to R2 to build six homes on a lot partly currently commercial.
• Malia Burros (authorized by the owner) spoke in favor of case 026-26 (1102 South Illinois Avenue), rezoning from M2 to C3. City staff clarified that the site previously housed a daycare and the rezoning is needed to bring the use into conformity after abandonment.
• Martha Knox (4030 Wisconsin Avenue, Joplin) spoke in opposition to case 019-26 (data center text amendment). She expressed concerns about water and electricity consumption, cost pass-through to residents, limited permanent employment (approx. 20 jobs), debris from tornadoes, and impacts on Shoal Creek. She noted that a data center serving a city of 53,000 people consumes water and electricity equivalent to the entire city. Commission members responded that contract agreements with utilities will be required, and the special use permit provides leverage.

Discussion Items

• Staff Presentation on Data Center Text Amendment (019-26): Planning staff Tyler presented revisions based on feedback from the June public hearing and the Missouri Municipal League conference. Key changes include:
  • Exclusion of berms, fences, and ancillary uses from buffer requirements.
  • Addition of C-weighted decibel (dBC) standards alongside A-weighted (dBA).
  • Noise limit of 45 dBC/dBA at 50 feet from property lines (more restrictive than Loudon County, VA's 55 dB).
  • Requirement for pre-development noise baselines.
  • Certification from utilities on rate impacts, with contract agreements to prevent pass-through costs to residents.
  • On-site substations required; water source plan needed at application.
  • Wastewater pretreatment and pollutant scanning required.
  • Energy storage: 10-hour capacity minimum, non-lithium-ion.
  • Backup generators must be Tier 4 compliant or Tier 2 with SCR/ammonia.
  • 300-foot setback from residential areas (vs. 500 feet in some cities); staff argued the restrictive noise standards justify the shorter setback.
• Commission Q&A: Commissioners asked about enforcement of utility rate protections, the 300-foot setback, noise level examples (45 dB ≈ refrigerator), and comparison with similarly sized communities. Staff noted existing noise standards in M2 districts already limit to 45 dB at residential property lines.

Key Outcomes

• Case 022-26 (Vacation of streets at 513 South Grand Avenue): Approved unanimously with condition for alternative access easement.
• Case 023-26 (Vacation of alley at 529 South Kentucky Avenue): Approved unanimously.
• Case 024-26 (Vacation of 14th Street at 709 East 15th Street): Approved unanimously.
• Case 025-26 (Rezoning at 20th and Willard): Approved unanimously.
• Case 026-26 (Rezoning at 1102 South Illinois Avenue): Approved unanimously.
• Case 019-26 (Data center use standards text amendment): Motion to approve passed. The transcript indicates one "Nay" vote, though the chair initially stated "Aye" for all. The case moves to City Council for final action.
• New Business: The commission will hold elections for chair, vice chair, and secretary at the August 2026 meeting.