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Regbase

The Data Center Divide

City of North Mankato

This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.

Mixed Data Center Policies

North Mankato’s moratorium is labeled enacted, though its description calls it proposed; it would temporarily bar new data centers and construction or expansion, while existing centers could keep operating without expanding.

Rating from Minnesota statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for City of North Mankato.

current law · City of North Mankato
Prohibits construction or expansion of large-scale data centers in North Mankato and bars related permit applications during a moratorium lasting up to 12 months.North Mankato data-center moratorium (2026)

What this means

The proposed ordinance would impose a one-year citywide moratorium, barring new data centers and construction or expansion of existing ones, and preventing related permit applications from being processed (construction or expansion). Existing centers could continue operating if they do not expand, but the temporary ban would make development substantially harder during that year.

Timing

Ends
Twelve months from its effective date

The ordinance takes effect 30 days after publication of notice of adoption. The City said it could extend the moratorium if state law changes or circumstances warrant; under the law described at adoption, it could not impose a two-year moratorium. (term and effective date; extension discussion)

People behind it

  • Adopted Ordinance No. 199, establishing the moratorium and authorizing the study.

  • Authorized and directed by the ordinance to study data centers and recommend whether and how the City Code should be amended.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements5

  • The moratorium makes a covered new data center a prohibited use throughout the city. It applies to a large-scale data center principally used for digital operations that exceeds 150,000 square feet and/or uses 50,000 gallons of water per day or more; computing facilities that are merely accessory to a separate lawful principal use are excluded. The definition and accessory-use exception

  • During the moratorium, no new or existing data center may be constructed or expanded in the city. No new or existing Data Center shall be constructed or expanded

  • The city may not accept, review, process, or approve an application for a permit or other application contemplating data-center construction or expansion during the moratorium. No application ... shall be accepted, reviewed, processed, or approved

  • The moratorium lasts until 12 months after its effective date, unless the City Council rescinds it earlier. The ordinance takes effect 30 days after publication of notice of adoption. Twelve (12) months from its effective date

  • Violations may be enforced through criminal or civil proceedings, including injunctive relief. A violator is guilty of a misdemeanor, and each day a violation occurs is a separate offense. Each day that a violation occurs is a separate offense

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3

  • Facilities below both stated size and water-use thresholds fall outside the ordinance’s definition of a large-scale data center: the facility must exceed 150,000 square feet and/or use 50,000 gallons of water per day or more. Definition and thresholds.

  • Computing facilities that are merely accessory to a separate, lawful principal use are excluded from the definition, so they are not covered as large-scale data centers on that basis. Accessory-use exclusion.

  • The moratorium prohibits construction and expansion, but does not expressly prohibit continued operation of an existing data center. Construction and expansion restriction.

Sources

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