Waite Park Council to Weigh One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers at Public Hearing

(KNSI) – The Waite Park City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 4th, on a proposed one-year moratorium that would temporarily ban data center development in the city.

The interim ordinance before the council would prohibit the city from accepting applications or issuing building or conditional use permits for data center projects in its industrial districts. City staff have said Waite Park’s current zoning ordinances do not specifically address data centers or the demands they can place on city resources. The moratorium would give staff up to 12 months to study the issue and draft regulations before any developer comes forward with a proposal.

City Administrator Shaunna Johnson told KNSI News after a March work session that data centers can be heavy water users and produce significant noise, and that some locations are a better fit than others. Johnson said the city is not opposed to data centers, but wants to understand the full picture before a project is proposed.

The draft ordinance does carve out one exception. A small telecommunications shelter building of less than 300 square feet, containing fiber-optic equipment and not requiring water service, would be allowed to move forward. City documents note that the proposal is unrelated to any data center use.

Data center development has drawn increasing attention across Minnesota, with many communities concerned about the impacts the facilities could have.

Under state law, the moratorium can remain in effect for up to 12 months. If approved, it would take effect upon publication.
Residents who want to weigh in can attend Monday’s council meeting at 6:30 p.m. inside the St. Cloud Area School District Administrative Office. The council has been meeting there while a reconstruction project takes place at city hall.

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