North Mankato Data Center Moratorium Tabled to Address Language
The North Mankato City Council held a public hearing on a proposed data center moratorium within city limits. While residents largely supported the moratorium, they requested specific changes to its language regarding area, water, and power usage limits. The council decided to table the vote for two weeks to incorporate public input and revise the ordinance.
The North Mankato City Council in Minnesota convened a public hearing on August 3, 2026, to discuss a proposed moratorium on new data center developments within the city. This moratorium, if approved, would halt the consideration and construction of new data centers for up to twelve months, with the possibility of a one-year extension, to facilitate a study on their localized impacts and how other communities regulate them.
Council chambers were reportedly filled with residents, and among the approximately 15 speakers, only one voiced opposition to the moratorium. However, many residents, including Benton Bakke, urged the council to refine the ordinance's language, advocating for stricter limits. Bakke specifically suggested reducing the area limit from 250,000 to 100,000 square feet, decreasing the water usage cap from 50,000 to 10,000 gallons per day, and imposing a 10-megawatt power usage limit.
In response to public feedback and a collective desire to "get it right," the city council decided to table the vote on the ordinance for two weeks. This postponement will allow council members time to review the public input and ensure the moratorium's language accurately reflects their intentions and community concerns.