Minneapolis council passes new data center restrictions

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A compromise measure limiting new data centers to existing buildings downtown and requiring council approval for each project narrowly passed the Minneapolis City Council Thursday.

The Minneapolis City Council narrowly approved new data center regulations on a 7-6 vote Thursday evening, including a controversial proposal to require council approval of any new data center. The regulations limit new centers to existing buildings in two zoning districts downtown.

Council members have said Mayor Jacob Frey told them he doesn’t support the idea of voting on data centers on a case-by-case basis and he could veto the measure. A temporary moratorium that blocks most new data centers in Minneapolis, with some exceptions downtown, expires Nov. 21.

Data centers aren’t new, but they have become a national Read Entire Article