The Chisago-Isanti County Star reports…

North Branch is trying to get ahead of any potential data centers by changing zoning and setting regulations on “high utility users.”

For now, the city council plans to set a six-month moratorium on new data centers in the city while staff figures out what those regulations will look like.

To date, much of the discussion has occurred within the Planning Commission, one of several committees that regularly meet, report and make recommendations to the full city council. Council member Patrick Meacham serves as the liaison between the two boards and has been leading the charge to address the issue in council.