Minot Planning Commission Approves Ordinance Regulating Data Centers
The Minot Planning Commission approved an ordinance to regulate data centers, limiting them to a specific industrial area and requiring conditional use permits. Residents voiced concerns about noise, electricity rates, and water usage during the public hearing. The ordinance now advances to the city council for final consideration, aiming to provide the city with oversight before any data center proposals emerge.
The Minot Planning Commission unanimously approved an ordinance regulating future data center developments, moving it forward to the city council for final consideration. The proposed ordinance would confine data centers to a specific industrial area east of the Minot airport and require a conditional use permit, granting the city control over aspects like noise and water use. Currently, Minot lacks specific data center regulations, meaning such facilities could be approved as warehouses without public oversight.
During a public hearing, Minot residents Billi Gunderson and Sherry Heilmann voiced significant concerns, primarily about external noise pollution, potential increases in electricity rates, and substantial water consumption, highlighting water scarcity in Minot. Both expressed a general disinterest in having large-scale data centers in their community.
In contrast, Terry Effertz of Tech ND, and Shay Todd from the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, offered differing perspectives. Effertz provided recommendations based on lessons from other North Dakota data center projects, advocating for responsible siting and self-generating power plans to avoid cost increases for residents. Todd, however, challenged perceived benefits, arguing that hyperscale data centers often lead to tax revenue losses due to incentives, demand vast amounts of potable water, can increase energy prices, and release harmful emissions.
The ordinance, developed with guidance from various planning bodies including Loudoun County, Virginia, was updated to ensure equitable regulations with other industrial park users. It includes provisions for electrical utility, lighting, noise studies, and water/sewer agreements. Commissioner Tim Baumann emphasized that the new framework allows the community to discuss each application individually, while Commissioner Serena Pontenila viewed it as a necessary safeguard against negative impacts from data centers.