Planning Commission Resolution PC-2025-07 (Data Center Land Use)CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MONTICELLO RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2040
MONTICELLO VISION + PLAN (THE "COMPREHENSIVE PLAN")
AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP, EXHIBIT 3.31
ALTERING LAND USE GUIDANCE FOR THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION
FROM DR — DEVELOPMENT RESERVE TO LIP, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK
WHEREAS, the City regulates land use through its Comprehensive Plan (currently the 2040
Monticello Vision + Plan), relying on the Future Land Use Map (Exhibit 3.3) for guidance as to
future land uses and resulting impacts; and
WHEREAS, the City utilizes a process for considering amendments to the Comprehensive Plan
from time to time, as various conditions may warrant such considerations; and
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan designates various lands for general land use categories,
including Light Industrial Park and Development Reserve, among other categories; and
WHEREAS, the Development Reserve designation is reserved for further study and
consideration, pending the ability of the City to provide adequate municipal services, to the
area, among other factors; and
WHEREAS, the representatives of approximately 253 acres at the southern edge of the
community have requested the property be re -guided from DR, Development Reserve to LIP,
Light Industrial Park; and
WHEREAS, the City finds that the best interests of the City's land use goals and objectives, and
reasonable flexibility for development planning and timing, would be best served by amending
the current Comprehensive Plan to modify land use guidance for the subject property, based on
the findings herein, and various limitations and requirements inherent in the City's exercise of
its land use authority; and
WHEREAS, the re -guidance of said property to LIP, Light Industrial Park would be consistent
with the adjoining land to the north, also currently guided LIP; and
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
WHEREAS, the proposed LIP designation would support a variety of light industrial land uses, an
important land use objective of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City would adopt, or has adopted, various land use management requirements
ensuring that development within the LIP areas is undertaken in accordance with the City's land
use and economic development goals; and
WHEREAS, with the applicable amendment, the City would establish and retain land use control
over projects of this type, ensuring more effective planning, cost-efficient development, and
preservation of other City goals and objectives related to industrial and economic development;
and
WHEREAS, any property located within the area subject to this re -guidance would need to be
processed and reviewed according to those standards and to achieve the applicable goals; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments modifying the Future Land
Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan and the effect on the City's land use plans and policies;
and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on February 4th, 2025 on the
proposal and members of the public were provided the opportunity to present information to
the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has considered all of the comments and the staff report,
which are incorporated by reference into the resolution the following Findings of Fact in
relation to the recommendation of approval:
1. The City's land use planning documents direct a balanced approach to development,
requiring adherence to high standards of use, but also recognizing the needs of the
private development market to efficiently plan for and finance that development.
2. The City's land use goals for industrial development include an emphasis on tax -base
stabilization and diversification, as well as employment creation.
3. The incorporation of the subject area into the LIP land use category has the potential to
accomplish tax -base stability and diversity.
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
4. The incorporation of data center development as allowed by the LIP, and contemplated
by the interested parties has the potential to create employment that includes high -
wage positions, and periodically, levels of employment that can be a component of the
City's economic development goals, even though total employment may be less
concentrated than other industrial uses.
5. Accommodation of data center development within Light Industrial Park designations
accelerates the supply of local jobs beyond the historical pace of light industrial land
development.
6. By retaining the ability to regulate data center uses per the language in the Light
Industrial Park designation, and only to suitable locations, the potential allowance of
data center development can accommodate both the City's economic development
interests, as well as its interest in quality land planning.
7. The City retains the ability to consider the following factors in permitting data center
development, providing assurances that such development is advancing the City's land
use and economic development interests:
a. Proximity to Residential Land Uses: The city will review data center development
requests to ensure protection of existing and future residential development
areas.
b. Noise: The City will review and consider data center development only when
concerns related to nuisance noise can be satisfactorily addressed with
demonstrated data.
Utility Demands: The City will require that the developer must demonstrate
adequate capacity and design to serve these users, without creating a shortage
of capacity for other development.
d. Transportation: The City will require that transportation impacts and demands
are studied to ensure that road networks are maintained and advanced, and that
capacity and/or design improvements are accounted for as a part of such
development.
e. The City will require that any such developer will study and detail transportation
impacts and present a thorough and adequate multi -modal circulation plan, as
determined by the City.
Industrial Land Supply: The City will evaluate, and use as a consideration of
approval or denial, whether adequate supplies of land to accommodate other
light -industrial development are available if data center development consumes
large areas currently guided.
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
g. The City will examine, and use as a consideration of approval or denial, whether
the City's current Orderly Annexation boundaries and Orderly Annexation
Agreement expansion language will not negatively impact other land use and
growth considerations as land is consumed by data center uses.
h. Economic/Fiscal Issues: The City will utilize various financial tools to ensure that
development contracts adequately secure financial obligations and bind future
parties to achieve the goals of the projects under consideration.
Electric Power Usage: Data center coordination with energy service providers
and information on their permitting process may be a factor in local approval or
denial. The information must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the City whether
the electric power supply can remain consistent and robust for others in and
around the community, without threat of power loss due to the development of
data centers in the community.
j. The City will evaluate other site -specific considerations through applicable
implementation tools, including the zoning and subdivision ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Planning Commission of the City of Monticello,
Minnesota, that the Planning Commission recommends to the City Council that the proposed
Comprehensive Plan amendment to the Future Land Use Map, Exhibit 3.3, altering land use
guidance from DR— Development Reserve to LIP - Light Industrial Park for the subject site as
illustrated on Exhibit A to this resolution be approved, based on the findings noted herein.
ADOPTED this 41" day of February, 2025 by the Planning Commission of the City of Monticello,
Minnesota.
MONTICELLO PLANNING COMMISSION
By:
Andrew Tapper, Chair
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
ATTEST:
Angela Schumann, (ggmqnity Development Director
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
PLANNING COMMISSION
RESOLUTION NO. PC 2025-07
EXHIBIT A
AREA TO BE REGUIDED LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PARK