Data center application reveals key details on Monticello Tech proposal
Monticello Tech LLC has submitted a detailed application for a 547-acre data center campus in Monticello, Minnesota, outlining plans for up to eight buildings and significant infrastructure improvements. The proposal, which details water, power, and environmental impacts, now enters a lengthy public review process involving city and state agencies. Public hearings are pending before the Planning Commission and City Council.
Monticello Tech LLC has formally submitted a comprehensive application for a proposed 547-acre data center campus in Monticello, Minnesota, providing the first detailed look at the project after months of community debate. The application outlines a development featuring up to 3 million square feet of data center space spread across as many as eight buildings, to be constructed in phases over four to eight years south of 85th Street NE and east of Highway 25. The project requires nearly $46 million in new infrastructure improvements, which the developer or future operator would cover, according to the application.
The extensive documentation addresses key community concerns, including an estimated water usage of 75,000 gallons per day under a dry-cooling design, which engineers believe will have minimal impact on the city's water system. Electricity will be supplied by Xcel Energy via a new substation, contingent on the developer funding necessary transmission upgrades. The plan also details stormwater management, wetland protection, noise control, and traffic impact, with daily vehicle trips estimated at 2,970, causing minimal delay.
The submission initiates a lengthy public review process, requiring city approvals for rezoning, a conditional use permit, and plat approval, along with coordination with state agencies like the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Department of Natural Resources. Monticello City Administrator Rachel Leonard confirmed the application is undergoing completeness review by city staff before moving to public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council, where residents will have an opportunity to provide input. Key details like the eventual end user and specific building designs remain undetermined, to be finalized in later stages of site plan review.