Opponents again sue Hermantown over proposed data center

HERMANTOWN – A group of concerned citizens, Stop the Hermantown Data Center, has filed a new civil lawsuit against Hermantown city officials, challenging zoning changes designed to facilitate a proposed 1.2-million-square-foot data center by Google. This marks the second lawsuit filed by the group in opposition to the project. Emma Richtman, a spokesperson for Stop the Hermantown Data Center, asserted that the city "violated numerous state laws" in its pursuit of the Google hyperscale data center in the Adolph neighborhood. The lawsuit alleges that the city's recent adoption of a comprehensive plan and the rezoning of the property for the development were "arbitrary and capricious," disregarding a 2015 neighborhood plan intended to protect the area's rural character. Additionally, Richtman claimed that City Administrator John Mulder and Assistant City Administrator Joe Wicklund improperly signed non-disclosure agreements without prior City Council approval. Jonathan Thornton, another member of the opposition group, emphasized that the complaint is a direct result of alleged government secrecy and circumvention of public process. He linked the cessation of work on a comprehensive plan to city officials signing NDAs, stating that the idea of a "future urban services district" was influenced by Google rather than community discussions. Cynthia Kosiak, the group's attorney, criticized the city for ignoring residents' concerns and not providing a rationale for the rezoning, which she described as illegal "spot-zoning." The proposed development agreement, which includes up to $80 million in tax abatements for Google over 28 years and Google's commitment to $130 million in public infrastructure improvements, is scheduled for a vote by the Hermantown City Council. Despite Google's offer of financial incentives to the school district and city, opponents remain resolute, calling on Google to find a more suitable site.