St. Cloud City Council to Set Public Hearing on Data Center Zoning Rules
The St. Cloud City Council is preparing to set a public hearing on proposed data center zoning and development standards, despite no specific project being proposed. The rules would establish different requirements for smaller and hyperscale facilities, including setbacks, conditional-use permits, and studies of noise, environmental impacts, power use, and community effects.
St. Cloud officials are preparing a Nov. 16 public hearing on proposed data center regulations. The city currently has no dedicated data center zoning category, and the proposed amendments would allow smaller facilities by right in certain commercial districts while requiring larger hyperscale centers to obtain conditional-use permits in the I3 planned industrial district.
The proposed rules would require environmental, noise, community-impact, backup-power, sustainability and decommissioning studies, with a quarter-mile setback from residential zoning for hyperscale facilities. The Planning Commission recommended approval in a 4-2 vote, while Pipefitters Local 539 supported establishing clear standards for responsible development. No developer has submitted a specific project to the city.