Supervisors delay hiring for data‑center ordinance, approve solar‑ordinance workshops and travel reimbursement

The Mitchell County Board of Supervisors received a recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission to contract with NIACOG to help draft a data‑center ordinance but agreed to delay hiring until after the March 20 legislative funnel because of pending state action and an existing local moratorium on data‑center applications.

Speaker 2 read the zoning commission’s letter describing two quotes for ordinance drafting — one from NIACOG and a second from another firm — and said the zoning commission voted unanimously to recommend NIACOG. Speaker 2 told the board she had called other entities statewide but received few responses and that timing was a concern given current legislative activity.

Several board members said it would be prudent to wait for the legislature’s action and to extend the moratorium if necessary. "There's a lot going through our legislature and it would be kind of senseless to waste a lot of money at this point in that direction," Speaker 1 said. The board reached consensus to table the decision on hiring until after March 20.

On solar issues, Speaker 2 recommended hosting informational solar‑ordinance workshops with agronomy and land‑use presenters (including potential speakers from Iowa State University and University of Minnesota, plus local agronomists). Speaker 2 said office budget funds are available for mileage and lodging for out‑of‑area presenters. The board moved, seconded and approved paying mileage and lodging for those presenters and discussed holding joint evening workshops with the zoning commission and board of adjustment to ensure a quorum of decision‑makers could attend.

Public commenters thanked the board for delaying hiring pending legislative clarity, urged protection of local control, and raised environmental concerns about data‑center cooling fluids; the transcript includes discussion of propylene glycol (described in the meeting as "corn glycol") and requests for environmental impact study and assurance that private companies would cover utility upgrade costs. Board members responded that private data centers would fund upgrades and that county staff will continue research under the moratorium.