After the governing body imposed a 12‑month moratorium on data‑center applications, planning staff briefed commissioners on data‑center types, potential impacts (water, power, noise) and options for textual zoning changes; commissioners asked staff to define size or resource thresholds, consult utilities and consider technical expertise before drafting amendments.

A broad set of county and ETJ residents urged the Planning Commission and staff to adopt strict rules — including limiting megawatt capacity and confining hyperscale facilities to heavy industrial zones — citing water usage, power demand, heat, noise and emergency risks tied to a proposed Compass Data Centers project just outside city limits. Staff reiterated the governing‑body moratorium and said a conditional use approach with standards is likely.

Compass told Topeka council its campuses use closed‑loop, air‑cooled systems and "zero municipal water" for cooling, but council members pressed for specifics on where loop water would be sourced, which third parties test it, how often testing occurs and how rejected fluid would be disposed.

Evergy told Topeka council its Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff requires large data‑center customers to fund project‑specific substations/transmission, pay a higher rate (15–20% premium) to cover generation costs they cause, sign long‑term (17‑year) contracts, and post substantial collateral and parent guarantees to prevent stranded costs for other customers.

The council voted unanimously to adopt an amended 12‑month moratorium that would bar municipal water and wastewater connections for hyperscale data‑center developments both inside and outside city limits, closing an administrative exception city attorneys said could otherwise allow service extensions.

City officials said a unanimous 12‑month moratorium on data‑center permit approvals gives Topeka time to study impacts such as water and power use; the mayor said the applicant (Encompass) must lead community outreach and has a public event scheduled the evening of the press conference.

After more than four hours of public comment and debate, the Topeka City Council on July 14 passed a 12‑month temporary moratorium on accepting, processing or approving data‑center development applications within city limits. The ordinance was amended to explicitly include large battery storage and similarly functioning energy systems.

City staff briefed the Topeka governing body on data center basics and a proposed zoning text amendment while dozens of residents urged a moratorium, independent health and environmental studies, and stronger limits on water and electricity service for large data facilities.