Northfield council moves away from data center ban, toward tiered regulation
The Northfield City Council voted unanimously to reduce the setback required between data-processing facilities and parks or trails from about three-quarters of a mile to 200 feet. The council also directed staff to explore tiered regulations addressing issues such as water use, power consumption, noise and other impacts, despite strong public opposition and calls to retain the city's moratorium.
The Northfield City Council voted 7-0 to reduce the setback for data-processing facilities near parks, trails and recreational areas from 3,950 feet to 200 feet. City officials said the original setback effectively made all industrial parcels undevelopable, while the revised rules remain more restrictive than those for other industrial uses. Existing regulations include 17 performance standards and require a conditional use permit for facilities involving water use.
The council also unanimously directed staff to develop a tiered regulatory framework as part of the city's Land Development Code update. The approach would consider facility scale, water consumption, energy use and other potential impacts rather than prohibit data centers outright. More than a dozen residents urged officials to preserve the moratorium or reject the setback change, but council members, Community Development Director Scott Wopata and Mayor Erica Zweifel argued that regulation could protect the community while allowing potential benefits such as tax revenue, infrastructure improvements and renewable energy development.