Residents raise water, noise and tax concerns as Cannon Falls debates large data center

Dozens of residents pressed the Cannon Falls City Council on Oct. 7 to limit water use, require financial guarantees and impose noise and light controls as the city considers a proposed data center development.

The public input period opened with resident Kari Lundin saying she understood data centers are "a necessity" but that "they're in it for them," not the town. She warned that tax revenue from a data center could flow elsewhere and that local housing and utility systems could be stressed.

Nut graf: The council and city staff spent the meeting answering detailed questions about water and sewer caps, surety and mitigation measures after multiple speakers expressed environmental, fiscal and community-character concerns. City staff said a development agreement with numerical caps and guarantees is being finalized and will be explained at a public joint work session with the planning commission on Thursday evening.

City staff member John told the council the development agreement currently includes a water cap of 43,000,000 gallons per year at the end of a 10-year…