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Nobles County commissioners uphold Planning Commission, reject data center zoning change
Summary
On April 21 the Nobles County Board voted 3-2 to uphold the Planning Commission’s recommendation and decline a proposed text amendment that would have allowed data centers as a conditional use in the county’s Agricultural Preservation zoning district. The issue drew more than 1,100 written comments and a crowded public hearing earlier in April.
The Nobles County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 on April 21 to uphold the Planning Commission’s recommendation not to amend the county zoning code to allow data centers as a conditional use in Agricultural Preservation.
County staff summarized the permitting history: a first public hearing was held Feb. 4, 2026; a 30-day public comment period produced 1,146 comments from 971 people; and a second public hearing on April 8 drew over 300 attendees with testimony both for and against the amendment. Nobles Environmental Services staff provided the Planning Commission’s record and advice from county counsel (Flaherty & Hood, P.A.) was included in the packet.
Commissioners Gene Metz, Bob Paplow and Justin Ahlers voted to uphold the Planning Commission; Robert S. Demuth and Chris Dybevick voted against that motion. The board’s recorded action was summarized in the minutes as: “It was duly passed 3-2 to Uphold the Planning Commission’s recommendation without pursuing alternatives.”
The decision keeps data centers excluded from conditional use consideration in the county’s Agricultural Preservation area unless a future petition or ordinance change is initiated. No further action or alternative zoning approach was adopted at the April 21 meeting.
