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Otsego planning panel recommends one-year moratorium on data center applications
Summary
The Otsego Planning Commission voted 7-0 on July 6 to recommend a one-year moratorium to the City Council while staff studies zoning, utility impacts and potential performance standards for data centers.
The Otsego Special Planning Commission voted 7-0 on July 6 to recommend that the City Council adopt a one-year moratorium on data center applications while staff develops zoning amendments and studies potential impacts.
City Planner Daniel Licht presented a report outlining compatibility concerns the commission wants examined, including noise and light impacts, likely size ranges and appropriate locations within the city, potential effects on city utilities, and possible performance standards. Commissioners also discussed how other cities are handling data center development and said those examples should inform Otsego’s approach.
Commissioner Vern Heidner moved to recommend the moratorium; Commissioner Laurie Jones seconded. The motion "to recommend approval to the City Council for a moratorium to allow further study of data centers for one year" carried unanimously, 7-0.
The recommendation is advisory: it asks the City Council to adopt a temporary halt on accepting or processing data center applications while staff prepares proposed Zoning Ordinance amendments. The transcript does not show the City Council taking action on the recommendation during this meeting.
Earlier, Interim Fire Chief Mike Scott led a brief tour and overview of the fire station that preceded the formal call to order. The commission recorded attendance and received brief updates from Councilmember Dunlap on recent City Council actions and from Planner Licht on upcoming planning items. The meeting was called to order by Chair Alan Offerman at 6:52 p.m. and adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
