VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com/KFGO) – Barnes County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to approve a six-month moratorium on commercial data centers, extending a temporary pause as officials finalize local zoning rules.
The move pushes back the county’s initial freeze, which was scheduled to expire in mid-November, through next May. Officials said the extra time will allow planning staff to establish clear guidelines before any technology companies apply to build in the area.
“This will give us a little more time to work on our ordinances,” said Barnes County Emergency Manager Jessica Jenrich. “We do have an ordinance that we think is going to be good, but we want to tweak it a little bit more to get it more Barnes County and just make sure we have everything covered.”
Jenrich’s office and county planning staff are working alongside Assistant State’s Attorney Trent Jackson to review zoning rules passed in other North Dakota counties. Jenrich noted the draft will serve as a blanket ordinance, establishing baseline application and facility standards rather than favoring large or small projects.
Local scrutiny around data centers grew earlier this year after several residents raised concerns about developers using non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs. Opponents argued those private contracts tied up agricultural land before neighbors had a chance to voice their opinions. In May, Valley City officials confirmed that no data center operators had approached the city.
County leaders noted they can lift the moratorium early if work finishes ahead of schedule. Once the draft is complete, the county plans to hold public readings so residents can review the language and offer feedback before commissioners take a final vote.
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