Eagan to Hold Public Hearing, Vote on Pausing Large Data Center Projects
Published: February 17th, 2026
EAGAN, MN: The Eagan City Council will hold a public hearing and vote today on whether to temporarily pause certain large data center projects while the city studies possible new regulations.
City leaders are considering a one-year moratorium, or temporary pause, on building or expanding very large data centers.
Data centers are buildings filled with computers that power the internet, cloud storage, and artificial intelligence. Cryptocurrency mining operations use similar large-scale computer systems and large amounts of electricity. If approved, the moratorium would apply only to projects that use more than 20 megawatts of electricity or would be built within 500 feet of homes. Smaller projects would not be affected.
City officials say data centers have grown rapidly in recent years. As facilities get larger, concerns increase about constant cooling system noise, heavy electricity use, and potential impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
Eagan does not currently have detailed zoning rules specifically for data centers. The proposed moratorium would give city staff time to study the issue and determine whether permanent regulations are needed. Under Minnesota law, cities can adopt temporary moratoriums to review land-use issues without pressure from pending development applications.
The council will take public comments at the Feb. 17 hearing and is expected to vote that night. If approved, the moratorium would last until Feb. 17, 2027, unless the council ends it sooner. During that time, city staff may work with outside consultants and later bring recommendations back to the council.