Planning Commission Advances Google Data Center Final Plat

Stillwater Planning Commission unanimously approved a final plat Nov. 4 for the Richmond Road and Highway 177 Addition, moving the Google data center development closer to construction on three industrial lots totaling 202 acres.

The 4-0 vote allows the project to proceed with infrastructure development and building construction at 1500 E. Richmond Road. The final plat covers Lots 1, 2 and 7 of the eight-lot development located at the southwest corner of Richmond and Jardot roads.

Lots 3 through 6 will be platted at a future date once the location of internal infrastructure is finalized, according to staff reports.

Henry Bibelheimer, senior planner with Development Services, presented the final plat to commissioners, noting that some easement information still needs to be completed before the plat can receive final signatures.

"Some of these easements have books and pages that aren't quite filled in yet," Bibelheimer said. "Those will be filled out, so those easements will all be filed and those easement numbers will be added to the document before the full approval."

Commissioner Mike Shanahan raised concerns about road conditions and potential pollution of nearby ponds related to construction activity.

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David Barth, Development Services director, said the developer plans to pave Richmond Road from Perkins Road east to Jardot Road, with construction scheduled to start in the next few months. The contractor has been maintaining the road temporarily as it experiences damage from increased traffic and truck traffic.

"The contractor out there has been really great to work with our public works department to go out there and to make some temporary repairs until they can get working on the final construction of that road," Barth said.

Construction trucks navigate unpaved Richmond Road near the Google data center development site. Speed monitoring and "No engine brake" signs flank both sides of the road, which the developer has committed to paving from Perkins Road east to Jardot Road in the coming months. – Photo by Chris Peters

Regarding drainage concerns, Barth said erosion control measures were strengthened after spring rains caused complaints from Parkview Estates residents.

"Earlier on, they started grading that side, and then we've got all of that rain in the spring," Barth said. "And so they had to go out and kind of prop up their erosion control measures and mitigate any erosion from the site."

Barth said he has not heard complaints since those measures were implemented, despite recent rainfall.

The project has received building permits for structures on Lots 1 and 2. The development will feature private streets with secure entrance facilities accessed from Richmond Road.

Staff found the proposed final plat meets subdivision and zoning requirements, and the comprehensive plan calls for industrial uses at the location.

Infrastructure work progresses at the Google data center development site, including paving of internal roads and installation of water lines. A public waterline extension ends at a meter vault, with private lines continuing throughout the development to serve all proposed lots. – Photo by Chris Peters

The Planning Commission approved a preliminary plat for the same development in August, which included all eight proposed lots. That approval allowed the project to move forward with general site planning while developers worked on final details for the initial three lots.

The final plat process requires City Council acceptance before the plat can be recorded with the Payne County Clerk.

📺 Watch the presentation to Planning Commission