Without zoning ordinances, townships may have little say over data centers
Otter Tail County officials are discussing the limited authority townships without zoning ordinances have over data center development. County commissioners are considering a moratorium on data centers to allow for the creation of new ordinances, as rural areas are increasingly targeted for these facilities which require significant electricity and water.
Otter Tail County officials recently discussed the challenge that townships without specific zoning ordinances face when a corporation seeks to purchase land for data center development. The discussion, which occurred during an Otter Tail County Board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8, was prompted by Deputy Administrator Nick Leonard's request to attend a data center development training program in South Carolina.
Commissioner Dan Bucholz raised concerns from a constituent about potential data center projects in rural areas, questioning the county's stance. While the county has regulations for shoreland areas, Commissioner Wayne Johnson noted that for non-shoreland properties, current county oversight is limited if a township lacks its own zoning. Land and Resource Management Director Christopher LeClair did not respond to inquiries regarding the accuracy of this assessment.
Johnson suggested the county could implement a moratorium on data centers, similar to its previous action on THC product sales, which would then necessitate the development of a county-wide ordinance. This approach would provide guidance to townships without their own zoning regulations. Both the Minnesota Association of Townships and Perham City Administrator Jon Smith acknowledged the difficulties townships face in establishing and enforcing zoning due to cost and lack of specialized staff, although Perham City itself has some industrial zone restrictions that could offer oversight.
The article highlights that data centers, which store and process digital information, require substantial water, electricity, and wastewater facilities. A Pew Research Center article noted that 67% of planned U.S. data centers are in rural areas, and some developers may construct their own power sources, use closed-loop water systems, and build infrastructure to support these facilities.