With news of a data center project, officially unveiled Tuesday as the Flint Hills Digital Campus, KVOE News asked city officials about the zoning process — specifically through a potential Digital Infrastructure Overlay District or DI-O.
Answers were submitted by City Communications Manager Christine Torrens.
Q. What does the DIO overlay allow and what doesn’t it allow?
A. The proposed Digital Infrastructure Overlay (DIO) is intended to establish development standards and review criteria for large-scale digital infrastructure and related industrial uses in designated industrial areas. The overlay is designed to help guide where these types of uses may occur and to establish expectations related to infrastructure, utilities, land use compatibility, and development review.
The overlay does not automatically approve a specific project or all future uses within the district. Development proposals would still be subject to applicable City regulations, permitting, site planning, infrastructure review, and other local, state, and federal requirements. Residential, commercial retail, and unrelated industrial uses outside of the overlay intent would not be the focus of the district.
Q. If this is approved, will the request process be the same as for other zoning overlay designations? Will this likely cover all zoning measures for new applications or is there a perceived need for conditional use permits?
A. If approved, requests within the DIO would generally follow the City’s established zoning and development review processes similar to other overlay districts and zoning regulations. Projects would still require review through the normal planning and permitting process, including Planning Commission and/or City Commission consideration when applicable.
Depending on the specific proposal, certain uses or site-specific elements could still require additional approvals such as conditional use permits, special use considerations, infrastructure agreements, or other development approvals based on the nature and scale of the request.
Q. How long has the DIO been under consideration?
A. The proposed DIO regulations are currently scheduled to be initially presented to the Planning Commission on June 23, 2026, and to the City Commission on July 1, 2026, as part of the public review and consideration process.
Q. How will the public process (June 23) be different from the Newman Regional Health/Stormont Vail public hearing in late 2023?
A. Both issues involve potential changes to the City’s zoning regulations. However, the two processes differ in both scope and timing.
The DI-O process involves a specific zoning text amendment that has already been drafted and is moving through the public hearing and review process.
The medical zoning review is a broader evaluation of healthcare-related zoning regulations. The process will research, stakeholder input, and public engagement before any specific zoning amendments are drafted and considered through a public review process.
More information about the zoning process is available at emporiaks.gov/dio.
Click here for KVOE News’ initial story on the Flint Hills Digital Campus.
