Pine County reaffirms data-center moratorium, extends it to 12 months

The Pine County Board of Commissioners voted to reaffirm Pine County Ordinance 2026-50 and extend the county's moratorium on new data-center permits to 12 months, with the board setting Aug. 18, 2026, as the effective date.

Kelly Schroeder, the county administrator, told the board that the interim ordinance first passed July 7 "which authorized a study and placed a moratorum on data center developments." County legal staff had advised that a public hearing would solidify the procedural record and reduce the risk of a legal challenge. The board discussed whether the moratorium should run from the original July date or from the reaffirmation; the board set the effective date in the motion to remove ambiguity.

A commissioner moved for the change, saying, "I'll move that we reaffirm the resolution with with two changes. Uh one that section seven that it be in effect for 12 months rather than six and effective date." The motion passed on a roll-call vote: Commissioners Holland, Moore (chair), Nelson, Wald and Ledley all voted yes.

The county attorney had previously summarized state law on moratoria (Minn. Stat. 394.34), telling commissioners moratoria are emergency, temporary measures and noting the statute allows up to one year with a one-year extension in good faith. The reaffirmation gives the county a full year (with the option to seek a second-year extension later) to complete studies and any zoning recommendations.

The vote was the meeting's formal action on an item that drew extensive public comment earlier in the hearing. With the ordinance reaffirmed, the county will proceed with the study and the zoning work the moratorium authorizes.