Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Data Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Eagan council approves subdivision to create lot for 61,519-square-foot data center at 5500 Opperman Drive
Summary
The council approved a preliminary subdivision of a 22.1-acre parcel to create two lots, including a 14.5-acre parcel where a 61,519-square-foot data center is planned. The site is in the I-1 zoning district; the developer said end user details are confidential.
The Eagan City Council on Jan. 21 approved a preliminary subdivision of about 22.1 acres to create two lots on the YMCA property at 5500 Opperman Drive, clearing the way for a proposed 61,519-square-foot data center on the southern parcel.
City planner staff told the council the property is zoned I-1 (light industrial), that the proposed lot sizes and setbacks meet zoning requirements and that the planning commission recommended approval at its December hearing. The south lot (Lot 2) is planned for the data center; the north lot (Lot 1) would retain the YMCA.
The developer's concept includes two approximately 25,000-gallon tanks behind a screen wall for emergency cooling and a total of about 50,000 gallons of onsite water storage, an 8-foot anti-climb security fence with sliding gates and a loop drive with parking. City staff said the building materials shown on the plan include thin brick panels and precast elements and conform to city standards; landscaping would include more than 200 new trees and a 20-foot wetland buffer is preserved.
Planner comments noted the data center's peak electrical load will be about 10 megawatts. Kevin Cunningham, representing the applicant, told the council the owner/operator is an investment entity and the ultimate tenant is currently confidential and will be announced later.
"The end tenant user is currently confidential and will be announced at a later date," Cunningham said.
City staff flagged that Argenta Trail is scheduled for reconstruction in 2025 and that the YMCA property will face an assessment for the road project in 2026; if subdivided, the assessment will be apportioned between the new lots by frontage under the city's assessment policy. Staff also noted an existing sanitary sewer on the site will require minor realignment to accommodate the project and that stormwater will be collected onsite and discharged into a regional pond system.
The council's preliminary subdivision approval was made subject to the conditions listed in the planning commission minutes. Final platting, rededication of necessary drainage and utility easements and building-permit review remain to be completed before construction.
Why it matters: the subdivision enables a large, permitted industrial use (a data center) that will add significant electrical demand in the area and will trigger local infrastructure assessments for Argenta Trail reconstruction. The proposed facility includes standby systems (generators, water storage) whose noise and screening the city said must comply with state noise regulations and local code.
