Sun This Week (Hometown Source) reports…

Farmington Mayor Nick Lien explained why the city will not pursue a one-year data center moratorium during the Aug. 17 City Council meeting.

Lien said if a moratorium were enacted, it would not apply to Tract, the developer of a 2.5 million-square-foot data center concept in Farmington, since the development had already received rezoning and planned unit development approval to place it outside the scope of a moratorium.

“Inver Grove Heights is living through the scenario of what would happen if the city did try to apply the moratorium to the Tract project. They did try this exact thing, and they are now facing a $20 million lawsuit, and are scrambling to exempt the current development from that moratorium,” Lien said.

He said the moratorium idea gives residents a false hope that the city and council could suddenly change its mind and undo the Tract project and rip up the contract.

Decisions had been made earlier…

Schmidt said the council approved a preliminary and final plat for Tract that includes a concept to build a 2.5 million-square-foot data center.

“Once that is done certain rights vest in an owner or an applicant in this case,” Schmidt said, referring to Tract and the Farmington School District, which owns land that is part of the potential data center development.

The Mayor is open to communication..

“I highly encourage those residents who feel as they would like to know more about our specific projects to attend, regardless of how strongly you feel one way or another about the data center topic in Farmington,” Lien said.

Lien also invites residents to ask questions and share concerns during his weekly open office hours from 3-4:30 p.m. Monday and 9-11 a.m. Friday at City Hall, 430 Third St. in downtown Farmington.