Pine City commissioners debate data‑center guardrails, table action

Commissioners at a May 27 Pine City Planning Commission meeting spent significant time debating how the city should approach potential data‑center development, ultimately voting to table further action so staff can research guardrail options and examples used by other municipalities.

A presenter introduced the item after a county moratorium failed, saying the topic merits local consideration but that Pine City may not be the place for very large facilities. Commissioners and industry‑experienced members raised tradeoffs: potential benefits of smaller, modular data buildings versus risks from very large campuses consuming disproportionate power or water, generating persistent noise, or creating long‑term large vacant buildings if the technology becomes obsolete.

Concerns included how power demand can affect local co‑ops, whether water‑cooling systems could affect local water quality, and how companies often enclose early talks in nondisclosure agreements that can limit staff oversight. Commissioners discussed metrics to regulate — for example, capping size or kilovolt/power draw, requiring conditional use permits (CUPs), and coordinating reviews with fire and public works departments.

“Regulate them based on the things that are bothersome — power and noise — rather than regulating out a use that might change with technology,” one commissioner said, summarizing a common view. Commissioners noted technological shifts (smarter chips, waterless cooling, smaller footprint units) may quickly change industry needs, arguing for flexible rules that target measurable impacts rather than blanket bans.

Commissioner Tommy moved to table the discussion to the next meeting to allow staff time to collect ordinance examples and work with public‑works and fire officials; the motion passed unanimously on roll call.

Provenance: Discussion began at SEG 827 and the table motion and roll call are recorded at SEG 1206–SEG 1240.