Bemidji Planning Board votes to advance data center moratorium
The Bemidji Planning Board voted 6-1 to advance a one-year moratorium on data centers exceeding 10,000 square feet. This motion will now move to the Bemidji City Council for consideration, allowing time for community feedback and a study on data center impacts. Board members cited environmental concerns, particularly regarding water, as a reason for the proactive measure.
The Bemidji Planning Board has voted 6-1 to recommend a one-year moratorium on data centers exceeding 10,000 square feet, sending the motion to the Bemidji City Council for further consideration. Board member Jorge Prince clarified that this is a proactive measure, as no specific data center proposals have been made in Bemidji.
The proposed moratorium aims to provide time for city staff to study the potential impacts of data centers on the community, including environmental concerns. Board member Gwenia Fiskevold Gould emphasized the city's responsibility as stewards of the Mississippi River's headwaters, highlighting water usage as a key study area. Paul Bunyan Communications operates a local data facility in Bemidji, but it does not meet the size threshold that would be affected by the proposed moratorium.
Board member Mark Dickinson cast the lone dissenting vote, expressing concern that the moratorium could hinder economic development by turning away other large-scale projects. He questioned turning down potential tax revenue from facilities slightly larger than the 10,000 square foot limit.
The city council will hold a future meeting to vote on the moratorium, drawing on experiences from other Minnesota cities like Rosemount, Hermantown, and Farmington that have received data center proposals.