Rapid City delays data center ordinance review to January
City staff requested more time to present findings after nearly 1,000 public comments and hundreds of survey responses.
By Ariana Flores ·
Rapid City has a long history of considering infrastructure changes that balance growth with local concerns. On Thursday, the Planning Commission moved the presentation of a proposed data center ordinance to its Jan. 21 meeting.
The delay comes after a surge of public input on the proposal. Community Development Director Vicki Fisher told the commission that the draft ordinance drew hundreds of survey responses. She also noted that an Oct. 14 open house at City Hall generated nearly 1,000 comments. The event was so crowded that it required two rooms.
If the Planning Commission approves the ordinance in January, it will proceed to the full city council. The city has managed data centers since December 2024, when the council passed a rule allowing them in Light and Heavy Industrial Districts. That initial rule required only a building permit. The new Ordinance 6746, introduced on Sept. 10, seeks to add specific safeguards regarding water, sewer, electric, noise, and vibration impacts.
Fisher explained that the city aims to update its rules because data centers elsewhere have caused issues for communities. She stated the intent is to protect local resources and neighborhoods by adding restrictions. The proposed ordinance would define different types of data centers. It would also impose limits on water use, noise levels, power usage, and distance from residential areas. Some projects would require special use permits.
During the Thursday meeting, several speakers argued that the proposed rules did not go far enough. Scott Armstrong reported that the survey results showed a disapproval rate of 70% to 80% among those present at the open house. He described the subsequent online comments as overwhelmingly against data centers. Armstrong suggested that the commission consider a moratorium on new development.
Norma Thompson raised concerns about property values and water availability. She argued that the noise and heat from data centers could be difficult to mitigate even with setbacks. Thompson stated that the absence of large data centers is a selling point for the city. She noted that many owners of these facilities do not live in the area.
Planning Commission member Eirik Heikes expressed similar views. He linked the city's growth to the hospitality, healthcare, and higher education sectors. He believed that data centers did not fit the community's future direction. Heikes said he would oppose their inclusion in the city's development plans.
The city has published the Planning Commission agenda and the proposed ordinance text online. A link to the public survey results is also available on the city website. The next step in the process will occur at the Jan. 21, 7 a.m., Planning Commission meeting.
