The Minneapolis City Council is scheduled to vote Thursday, Nov. 12, on the city's first zoning rules written specifically for data centers. The vote comes nine days before the city's interim moratorium on the facilities expires on Nov. 21. According to FOX 9's account of a council discussion on Monday, Nov. 9, the proposal would allow data centers only downtown and in the North Loop, and only inside existing buildings. It would cap their size, set a minimum distance between computer equipment and exterior walls, and require operators to disclose how much energy and water they use.
The vote would end a process the city began with its moratorium in May. It would also settle, for now, a question the council has not agreed on: whether Minneapolis should regulate new data centers or block them altogether.
What the Proposal Would Do
FOX 9 reported that the version discussed on Nov. 9 has five main pieces:
- Location: data centers would be allowed only downtown or in the North Loop.
- Building type: they would have to go into existing buildings, with minimal modifications allowed.
- Size: facilities would be capped at 150,000 square feet, according to FOX 9.
- Setback inside the building: computers would have to sit at least 20 feet from exterior walls, which FOX 9 described as an attempt to address potential noise.
- Disclosure: companies would have to disclose energy and water use to the city. FOX 9 noted that cities cannot place a limit on that use.
The city's own zoning amendment page gives the same general aims in broader terms. It says the city plans to define what a data center is, limit how big data centers can be, decide where they are allowed, require them to report their planned energy and water use, and reduce noise impacts. The page lists Chapters 535, 540, 545, 550 and 565 of the zoning code as chapters that may change.
The city also notes a limit on its own authority. According to the amendment page, cities in Minnesota cannot make their own rules for building components or systems because the state building code controls them, so the city cannot address some issues in the way people might expect.
A Discrepancy in the Size Figures
The size cap reported on Nov. 9 does not match the figure in an earlier city document, and readers comparing the two should know they may not measure the same thing.
An Aug. 18 bulletin from Council Member Aurin Chowdhury, published through the city's official bulletin service, described an earlier set of policy recommendations. It referred to a 175,000-square-foot maximum for server and equipment space in the downtown districts. The same bulletin listed other recommendations: defining "data center" in code, and requiring a Conditional Use Permit for all new or expanded data centers, with public review by the Planning Commission and appeals to the City Council. It also raised concerns about a possible Data Center Overlay District and about the 175,000-square-foot figure, which Chowdhury wrote was "far too much."
The 150,000-square-foot cap comes only from FOX 9's account of the Nov. 9 discussion. None of the sources reviewed for this article confirms whether that number replaces the earlier 175,000-square-foot recommendation, whether it measures total floor area or server and equipment space, or whether the conditional use permit requirement and overlay district are still in the proposal. The text the council adopts on Nov. 12 will answer those questions.
How the City Got Here
The council passed a six-month moratorium in May 2026. According to the Aug. 18 bulletin, the moratorium included a carve-out for downtown data centers so that it could pass. FOX 9 reported that the moratorium expires Nov. 21.
The city's amendment page lists these meetings in the process:
- June 16, 2026: Planning Commission Committee of the Whole
- Oct. 13, 2026: Planning Commission meeting that included a public hearing (4:30 p.m., per the Aug. 18 bulletin)
- Nov. 5, 2026: City Council Business, Housing & Zoning Committee
- Nov. 12, 2026: full City Council
The Aug. 18 bulletin also announced a 60-day public comment period ahead of the October hearing. The city's page was last updated Oct. 16, so it does not reflect what happened at the Nov. 5 committee meeting. None of the sources reviewed here reports the outcome of that meeting.
Why Downtown
FOX 9 reported several numbers that city officials and council members cited in connection with the proposal's focus on downtown:
- The city says downtown has eight data centers serving tech companies right now. City staff said many more data centers serving the onsite computing needs of existing businesses exist around the city.
- Council members said they heard from Xcel Energy that there is interest in up to eight more data center projects downtown.
- City staff said 30 percent of downtown Minneapolis stands empty.
FOX 9 reported that one side of the council points to downtown's high vacancy rate and sees data centers as part of the solution. The city's amendment page likewise lists looking at ways to reuse empty office and commercial buildings among its goals.
Where the Council and Mayor Stand
FOX 9 reported that the council is split in half, with one side pushing for a full ban on data centers and the other favoring regulation of where they can go and how big they can be. The outlet did not report a vote count.
FOX 9 also reported that if council members stick with the plan discussed on Monday, Nov. 9, a spokesperson for Mayor Jacob Frey says the mayor will support it.
What Happens Next
The full Minneapolis City Council is scheduled to take up the data center zoning amendment on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, according to the city's amendment page and FOX 9. The interim moratorium expires Nov. 21, 2026. FOX 9 reported that if the new rules do not pass, data centers could again move in with little oversight. The city's page does not give an effective date for the new rules if they are adopted.
