City Council Resolution 2026-32 (DCPUD)CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2026-32
A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY OF MONTICELLO APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MONTICELLO CITY CODE, TITLE
XV, LAND USAGE, CHAPTER 153 OF THE MONTICELLO CITY CODE, KNOWN AS THE ZONING
ORDINANCE, ESTABLISHING A DATA CENTER PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT ZONING
DISTRICT TO DEFINE AND REGULATE DATA CENTER AND TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS LAND USES
WITHIN THE CITY
WHEREAS, the City regulates land use through its Comprehensive Plan (currently the
2040 Monticello Vision + Plan), implemented through its development regulations, including its
subdivision and zoning ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the current Comprehensive Plan incorporates policy language that envisions
a role in the City's land use patterns for data centers and similar technology campuses within
the Light Industrial Park land use designation, under a series of expectations and conditions;
and
WHEREAS, the Zoning Ordinance serves as the primary implementation tool of the City's
Comprehensive Plan goals and objectives for land use development; and
WHEREAS, the City utilizes a process for considering amendments to the Zoning
Ordinance from time to time, as various conditions or needs may warrant such considerations;
and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the direction of the Comprehensive Plan, 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 Zoning
Ordinance to accommodate "data centers" as a unique land use category, within a specific
"Data Center Planned Unit Development" zoning district; and
WHEREAS, with the applicable amendment, the City would establish and retain land use
control over projects of this type, to ensure more effective planning, cost-efficient
development, and preservation of other City goals and objectives related to industrial and
economic development; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has reviewed the amendments modifying the
applicable sections of the zoning ordinance and their effect on the City's land use plans and
policies; and
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on August 19, 2025 and
September 2, 2025 on the draft ordinance amendments and members of the public were
provided the opportunity to present information to the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission tabled action on the proposed amendment and
closed the public hearing on September 2, 2025 to allow for additional research and revision to
the proposed ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on December 2, 2025 on the
revised proposed ordinance amendments and members of the public were provided the
opportunity to present information to the Planning Commission; and
WHEREAS, the proposed ordinance has been updated and modified from its earlier
versions to address many of the themes and concerns raised by Planning Commission
members, staff research, City Council workshop discussions, and extensive public comments,
both written and oral; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission considered all of the research and the written and
oral public comments, as well as the recommendations of the staff report, which are
incorporated by reference into Planning Commission Resolution PC-2025-41; and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposed ordinance
regulating data center and technology campus uses on February 3, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered all of the research and the written and oral
public comments, as well as the recommendations of the staff report and the Planning
Commission, which are incorporated by reference into this resolution; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Monticello makes the following Findings of
Fact in relation to the approval of the ordinance:
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 as identified in the Monticello 2040
Vision + Plan include an emphasis on high -wage and high -volume employment, as well
as tax -base stabilization and diversification.
3. The incorporation of data center development has the potential to accomplish tax -base
stability and diversity.
4. The incorporation of data center development, due to its concentration of use has the
potential to create employment that includes high -wage positions, and periodically,
CITY OF MONTICELLO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
levels of employment that can be a component of the City's economic development
goals, even though total employment may be less than other industrial uses.
S. By retaining the ability to limit such uses in a controlled fashion, and only to suitable
locations, the potential allowance of data center development can accommodate both
the City's economic development goals and objectives, as well as its interest in quality
land planning.
6. The proposed ordinance regulating data center development establishes and retains
land use control over projects of this type, providing regulations specific to data center
uses, while facilitating more effective planning, cost-efficient development, and
preservation of other City goals and objectives related to industrial and economic
development.
7. The proposed ordinance requires that developers and users of data center facilities
study, analyze, and account for all relevant public costs, including public infrastructure
serving the project, subject to the review of the City, so as to avoid such costs being
spread to the general public.
8. The proposed ordinance requires that developers and data center facilities account for
the City's long term land use and growth when selecting potential sites so as to ensure
that the City's plans are not constrained by large data center location decisions.
9. The proposed ordinance makes it clear that the Monticello 2040 Vision + Plan, through
its future land use mapping, land use policies, and economic development objectives,
ensures that the City retains the full discretion and ability to approve only those data
center projects that clearly meet its various goals, objectives, and policies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Monticello, Minnesota
that the Monticello City Council approves the proposed amendments to the Monticello Zoning
Ordinance as provided in Ordinance 8XX, based on the findings noted herein.
ADOPTED this 27t" day of April, 2026 by the Planning Commission of the City of Monticello,
Minnesota.
MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
By:
Lloyd Hilgart, Mayor
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the above is a true and correct copy of a resolution presented to and
adopted by the Municipality of Monticello, County of Wright, State of Minnesota, at a duly
authorized Municipal Council Meeting held in the Municipality of Monticello, Minnesota on the 27th
day of April, 2026, as disclosed by the records of said Municipality on file and of record in the office.
Municipality of Monticello