(Sioux County Courthouse in Orange City - KIWA Staff Photo)Orange City, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — The Sioux County Board of Supervisors has approved new data center regulations and voted to lift the county’s moratorium on data center development, clearing the way for developers to begin submitting applications once the changes take effect.
Both resolutions were approved on 4-1 votes Tuesday following the third and final public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Supervisor Dan Altena cast the lone opposing vote on both measures, saying he would have preferred more time for discussion and study.
The regulations and the resolution ending the moratorium take effect upon publication. Sioux County Zoning Director Shane Walter said the county can begin accepting applications after that occurs.
The action follows months of discussion as PathOne Data Centers pursues a project in Sioux County. Tuesday’s vote established regulations but did not approve a specific project.
The moratorium was originally enacted in June to give county officials time to develop rules tailored specifically to data center development.
Studies and Operating Requirements
Walter said applicants must provide independent studies addressing issues such as water availability, electricity demand, and noise impacts. The county will determine which qualified professionals conduct those reviews.
He says the requirements allow the county to ensure that developers are meeting standards before opening.
Walter said studies will continue after a facility begins operating. The ordinance also establishes resource-use thresholds that could trigger additional reviews.
Supervisor Carl Vande Weerd said the rules include a 25-megawatt limit per site and require developers to pay for any utility infrastructure improvements. He emphasized that adopting the ordinance establishes standards for reviewing proposals.
Public Questions and Calls for More Time
Residents raised questions about water supplies, electrical rates, transparency, surveillance, regional coordination, and the pace of the county’s decision-making process.
County officials said independent water studies would be required to demonstrate that a project would not create undue impacts on other users. During the discussion of electrical rates, utility representatives explained that additional electricity sales could help spread fixed costs over a large customer base.
Altena praised the work that had gone into the ordinance and the informational meetings held throughout the process. However, he argued that extending the moratorium would have allowed the county more time to evaluate experiences in other communities and further refine the regulations.
The proposed ordinance passed earlier readings on Sept. 29th and Oct. 13th by identical 4-1 margins.
With the regulations now approved, interested developers such as PathOne may begin the application process. Any future data center proposal would still require separate review and approval procedures before construction could begin.
