Hastings joins list of cities proposing data center moratorium

The Hastings City Council on Monday night advanced a proposal for a one-year moratorium on data center development, following similar actions by other municipalities in the Twin Cities area. The proposed ordinance would temporarily halt any new data center projects in Hastings, allowing city staff to analyze their potential impacts and to refine the city's code to better define and regulate such facilities. The council approved the first reading of the moratorium, with a final adoption vote and public hearing scheduled for August 17.

The move comes as data center development has become a contentious issue in the Twin Cities, with concerns rising over intensive energy usage, noise pollution, and the long-term infrastructure demands of these facilities. Cities like Eagan, Minneapolis, Inver Grove Heights, Apple Valley, Rosemount, and Elk River have already enacted similar moratoriums due to a lack of specific zoning language for data centers, which creates ambiguity for developers.

Hastings Community Development Director John Hinzman noted that the city has not recently received interest in new data center developments and has no pending projects. He clarified that the moratorium is a proactive measure to update city code and ensure the city has the regulatory capacity to evaluate future data center impacts, rather than a reaction to specific proposals. Hinzman also expressed doubt that hyperscale data center developments would become a major issue in Hastings, citing the city's lack of large office providers or extensive open acreage.