On Monday, Oct. 5, the Missoula City Council will take its final vote on a zoning change that shapes how data centers fit into the city's future. The Missoula City Council should pass it.

Today, city code treats a building as a data center only if equipment fills most of its floor space. The city's own planners have said that standard is hard to apply. The amendment swaps it for a clear definition: a standalone building built mainly to hold servers and telecommunications gear. Those facilities could only go in the Industrial 2 zoning district, which isn't on the city's map yet. That means any big data center would first need a rezoning approved by the City Council at a public meeting.

Offices and businesses could still keep server rooms inside their buildings. The rule targets standalone server facilities, not everyday tech use.

Missoula isn't acting alone. A proposed data center in nearby Bonner was stopped, and Missoula County recently passed a one-year moratorium on new data centers. The city's amendment would give Missoula clear rules of its own instead of leaving a gap.

Large data centers are sparking debate in towns across the country. Whether one belongs in Missoula should be decided openly, by elected leaders, with neighbors at the table, not by a vague line in the zoning code.

Some local tech owners have raised concerns. Joshua Rhines, founder of CubCloud AI, told MTN News the amendment could make future expansion in the city and county harder. Those concerns deserve a hearing, and a clear, public process gives local businesses and residents alike a fair say.

Sign the petition to urge the Missoula City Council to pass the data center zoning amendment on Oct. 5, before the first big project arrives under the old, unclear rules.