Hometown Growth: Regarding a data center moratorium
The following are my remarks from the April 21, 2026 Regular Meeting of the Rosemount City Council, at which we enacted a one-year moratorium on data center applications. I’ve also added a couple of FAQs at the bottom:
I want to start by saying: I’m neither pro–data center nor anti–data center. I am pro–Rosemount.
My approach to every proposal that comes before us is grounded in one principle: planful growth that fits within the fabric of our community. That means taking a thoughtful, case-by-case approach and giving each application the discerning review it deserves.
We’ve done that before. In 2023, I supported a data center application that will return more than 200 acres to the tax rolls and put previously underutilized land to productive use. In other cases, including just last year, I withheld support when proposals required changes to our land use plans that I felt were too significant.
Like many families here in Rosemount, these issues aren’t just abstract policy discussions - they come up around the dinner table. Questions like: Will the first data center perform as promised? And, as more proposals have come forward: How many data centers are too many?
Those are fair questions. And at this moment, we don’t yet have enough real-world, local data to answer them with confidence.
That’s why I support this temporary moratorium.
This pause gives us the opportunity to evaluate actual performance - things like water usage, noise levels, and overall community impact - based on projects already in motion. It allows us to move from speculation to evidence.
Just as importantly, it gives us time at the City level to strengthen our framework. We can better define guardrails, explore enhancements to the AUAR process, and consider more robust Planned Unit Development conditions so that future proposals are evaluated with greater clarity and consistency.
This isn’t about stopping growth. It’s about getting it right.
Rosemount has always been a community that plans carefully and acts deliberately. This moratorium reflects that tradition. It ensures that as we consider new opportunities, we do so in a way that protects our residents, respects our long-term vision, and positions our city for sustainable success.
FAQs:
How did we select the one-year duration on the moratorium? Can it be shorter/longer?
The answer given by City Staff at the April 21 meeting is that one year is the maximum length allowed under state statute. City Staff conferred with Legal counsel to determine what duration to propose, and recommended we pursue the maximum duration of this moratorium.
Can the moratorium be extended?
The answer given by City Staff at the April 21 meeting is that it cannot be extended. At the conclusion of the moratorium period, the City will be required under state statute to provide its report from the moratorium period.
