Palo, Iowa is a small city in Linn County that has become a location of interest for data center development due to its proximity to fiber optic infrastructure corridors and relatively lower land costs compared to urban Texas markets.
Referenced in 2 briefingsLast referenced: June 21, 2026
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June 21, 2026
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Cost-Causation Is Here. Generation-First Siting Wins the 226 GW Queue.
Google pivoted from Linn County, which required independent water studies, to annex into the city of Palo, where the ordinance defers to state regulation only.
Iowa's Linn County drafted one of the nation's most detailed local datacenter zoning ordinances, requiring pre-approval water studies, 1,000-foot residential setbacks, and community betterment fund contributions before Google can build its six-building campus in Palo.