Inside Monticello Tech's data center proposal: Application reveals plans

Monticello Tech LLC has submitted a comprehensive application to the City of Monticello, detailing its proposal for a 547-acre data center campus south of 85th Street NE and east of Highway 25. The application, now publicly released, reveals plans for up to eight buildings totaling 3 million square feet, phased construction over four to eight years, and an estimated $45.9 million in public infrastructure improvements, which the developer or future operator would cover.

The documents address key community concerns, including water use, which is estimated at 75,000 gallons per day with a dry-cooling design, roughly equivalent to 273 homes' daily use, and deemed to have minimal impact on the city's system. Electrical service would be provided by Xcel Energy via a new substation, requiring transmission upgrades funded by the developer. Environmental considerations include managing stormwater runoff from 470 acres of disturbed land and addressing impacts on seven wetlands, with buffer zones and mitigation practices planned.

Monticello City Administrator Rachel Leonard confirmed the application package is awaiting review for completeness by city staff before proceeding to public hearings before the Planning Commission and City Council. The proposal seeks rezoning, a conditional use permit, and plat approval, and requires coordination with multiple state agencies including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Department of Natural Resources. An eventual end user for the data center has not yet been identified, and many final details will be refined during subsequent site plan reviews.