Woodbury approves one-year moratorium on data centers
The Woodbury City Council has enacted a one-year moratorium on new or expanded data centers and other high-volume infrastructure users. This pause will allow the city to study potential regulations concerning water use, electricity demand, noise, and overall environmental impacts. The city currently hosts three data centers, and officials noted no active applications are currently pending.
The Woodbury City Council has approved a one-year moratorium on the construction or expansion of data centers and other high-volume public infrastructure users. The decision, made on Wednesday night, aims to provide the city with time to study and develop regulations regarding data centers' potential impacts, including water usage, electricity demand, noise, and environmental concerns.
According to Eric Searles, Woodbury's assistant community development director/city planner, there are no active applications from data center developers or end users in the city, making this an opportune time to conduct a thoughtful and deliberate study without interruption. Woodbury currently has three data centers, with some facilities dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, including a Medtronic-owned center. Mayor Anne Burt noted the existing centers operate for "small needs" unlike the larger AI data centers being developed elsewhere.
The moratorium received support from residents who expressed concerns about electrical demand, noise, water use, and air quality, with some calling for more consistent statewide standards. Woodbury joins at least a dozen other Minnesota cities, including Eagan, Minneapolis, Inver Grove Heights, and Rosemount, that have implemented similar moratoriums due to concerns over energy and water consumption. The city's interim ordinance aligns with its recently adopted environmental stewardship plan, focusing on conservation and best management practices.