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County board reconsiders zoning amendments, tables data-center ordinance to May 5
Summary
After a motion to recall an item from Planning & Zoning, the board debated amendments to St. Louis County Zoning Ordinance 62, agreed to exclude proposed data-center language and directed Planning & Zoning to study data-center impacts; the board then tabled the amended resolution to the May 5, 2026 meeting for staff work and public transparency.
St. Louis County commissioners moved to reconsider a prior action that had referred proposed amendments to St. Louis County Zoning Ordinance 62 back to Planning & Zoning. A commissioner then presented an amended resolution that would adopt most of the proposed ordinance changes but exclude two specific data-center–related amendments in section 5.5(j) and section 6.25(a), and direct the Planning & Zoning Department and Planning Commission to study data-center impacts and develop a comprehensive zoning amendment.
Commissioners discussed the language in section 5.5(j), which contained two separate changes — one related to data centers and one related to equipment/material staging areas and contractor yards. One commissioner noted the board likely intended to accept the staging-area change but not the data-center change, and members agreed to a friendly amendment to clarify that intent.
Following that exchange, a motion was made to lay the amended resolution on the table until the board’s May 5, 2026 meeting in Duluth so staff could prepare the item for public consideration and ensure transparency. Commissioners clarified that a motion to table would move the item to that date and preclude discussion on the tabled matter until then. The motion to table carried.
Board members and staff emphasized that the tabling affords time for public review of a lengthy (113-page) amendment package and for Planning & Zoning to prepare clear, digestible language and best practices for public and commission review.
