The effort to force a public vote on Mason’s new data center ordinance ends this weekend.
Organizers seeking to overturn Ordinance 266 say they are working to gather at least 1,200 valid signatures from registered Mason voters. Under the city’s charter, a referendary petition must be signed by at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the city for governor at the most recent election.
Ordinance 266 was adopted by City Council on February 2. The measure creates a new Technology Innovation, or M-3, zoning district and establishes standards for potential large-scale facilities, including data centers. It does not approve a specific project.
Petition organizers say they plan to file the paperwork with the Mason City Clerk if they reach the required signature threshold.
Under the city charter, once a petition is filed, the Clerk has 10 days to verify the signatures. If enough valid signatures are confirmed and presented to City Council within the required timeframe, the ordinance would be suspended.
From there, Council would have up to 30 days to either repeal the ordinance or submit it to voters at the next regular city election or at a special election. The outcome would be determined by a simple majority of voters casting ballots on the question.
The ordinance has drawn strong reactions in recent weeks. Some residents have expressed concerns about potential impacts on water, electricity demand, and land use. Others have said the city should establish regulatory guardrails before any development proposal is formally submitted.
There is a council meeting Monday.
In an extended interview with WKAR News earlier this week, Mason Mayor Russell Whipple said the ordinance was designed to give the city leverage and standards in place if a proposal comes forward. He also argued some of the backlash has been driven by people outside the city.
You can listen to the eight-minute interview with the mayor at WKAR.org.
