After more than two hours of public comment and council discussion, the Northfield City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday night to reduce the required setback between data-processing facilities and parks or trails from roughly three-quarters of a mile to 200 feet.
But the setback change was only part of the story. In a separate motion, the council also directed staff to explore a tiered regulatory framework for data-processing facilities as part of the upcoming Land Development Code update, looking beyond just power consumption to include water use and other emerging concerns.
Some of the details…
The city’s regulations include 17 performance standards covering noise, water use, glare, vibrations and more. They also require a conditional use permit triggered by any water use.
And more on the vote…
After the vote, the council approved a second motion directing staff to explore the tiered regulatory framework and performance standards recommended by the planning commission, looking beyond just power consumption. That motion also passed without dissent.