Inver Grove Heights threatened with legal action over planned data center
The City of Inver Grove Heights is considering a one-year moratorium on data centers and simultaneously reviewing an application from QLevr LLC for a 54,000 square-foot facility. QLevr LLC has threatened legal action if the city's decision on their project is not based on standard zoning laws, arguing the moratorium should not apply to their pre-submitted application. The city council will discuss these legal threats in a closed session before potentially voting on the moratorium and QLevr's application.
The City of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, faces potential legal action from developer QLevr LLC regarding its proposed 54,000 square-foot data center. The city is concurrently considering a one-year moratorium on data center construction and expansion, a measure prompted by QLevr's project. QLevr LLC argues that state law prohibits applying the moratorium to its project, as the application was submitted before the proposed ban would take effect. Their attorneys have warned the city of "significant legal risk" if the project decision deviates from objective zoning criteria.
The Inver Grove Heights City Council is scheduled to hold a second reading and potentially a final vote on the moratorium on Tuesday. Immediately following, the council will also review QLevr's data center application. Ahead of the regular meeting, council members will convene in a closed session to discuss the legal threats posed by QLevr. The developer claims their facility would use minimal water, comparable to one to two single-family homes, and draw approximately five megawatts of power through closed-loop cooling.