Planning commission advances draft data‑center ordinance changes to public hearing after energy, stormwater revisions

The Brainerd Planning Commission on March 19 voted to advance proposed amendments to its data‑center ordinance to a public hearing, directing staff to finalize technical language on energy, water/wastewater and hazardous‑waste planning.

Staff said the draft has been revised several times and highlighted three items for commission review: (1) clarifying that voluntary curtailment or temporary shutdowns are not equivalent to a power outage for the purposes of generator use; (2) making the operator — rather than the developer — responsible for hazardous‑waste planning; and (3) requiring a water and wastewater plan and, for larger loads, a system‑impact study to ensure the local utilities and transmission owners can reliably serve the proposed facility.

Commissioners debated the appropriate power threshold that should trigger a formal transmission or system‑impact study. Staff noted prior data‑center proposals had been in the 20–25 megawatt range and suggested that the commission consider whether the one‑megawatt threshold in the draft was too low; one commissioner suggested three megawatts as an alternative. The city’s public utilities director had recommended the one‑megawatt threshold in an earlier review, but the commission left that number open for final staff wording ahead of the hearing.

Commissioners also asked that staff confirm procedural steps for MPCA sewer-extension permits in the code and ensure the public utilities department reviews the water/wastewater plan before a CUP is granted. With those edits, the commission voted unanimously by voice to schedule a public hearing on the ordinance amendments.

(Ending) Staff will prepare the revised ordinance language and schedule the public hearing; the commission’s action sends the draft to a hearing stage where public comment will be taken before any recommendation goes to City Council.