Eagan Advisory Planning Commission Meeting - April 28, 2026
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Eagan Advisory Planning Commission Meeting - April 28, 2026
The Eagan Advisory Planning Commission met on April 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM to consider an Interim Use Permit (IUP) for IronGate Data Center to allow outdoor storage of four temporary trailer-mounted chillers at 3199 Pilot Knob Road. After extensive public testimony and deliberation, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend denial of the IUP, citing concerns about the installation without proper permits, inadequate noise mitigation, and unresolved zoning questions regarding the data center’s primary use. The commission also elected officers for the upcoming term.
Consent Calendar
- Agenda: Approved unanimously (6-0).
- Minutes: Approved unanimously (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Approximately 15 residents spoke in strong opposition to the IUP. Key concerns included:
- Constant humming noise and vibration affecting sleep and quality of life.
- The chillers were installed without proper permits, eroding trust in the applicant.
- Potential negative impacts on property values, wildlife, air quality, and electromagnetic frequencies.
- Inconsistency with the city’s Northwest Central Commons small area plan, which envisioned mixed-use development including residential.
- Calls for the city to enforce zoning laws and consider the broader implications of data center operations.
- Residents requested transparency, accountability, and that the city consider the moratorium on new data centers.
Discussion Items
- IronGate Data Center Interim Use Permit:
- Staff presented the request for a six-month IUP to allow outdoor storage of four temporary chillers (one backup) for data center cooling. The chillers had been installed without a permit, triggering noise complaints. A temporary noise wall was erected, and updated noise studies showed compliance with MPCA standards.
- The applicant argued the data center use has existed since 1987 and the chillers are needed until permanent chillers arrive (on order, expected in 4–6 months).
- Commission members questioned the property’s zoning (RD – Research & Development), noting the data center now constitutes 46% of the building’s floor area, approaching the 49% limit for accessory uses. The lack of a primary office use raises a zoning issue.
- The city attorney clarified that the city does not sign NDAs with data center developers.
- A motion to approve the IUP (with conditions) failed 1-5.
- A motion to deny passed 6-0, with reasons including the premature installation, insufficient public engagement, and the need for a fuller evaluation of land use and zoning before allowing further data center expansion.
Key Outcomes
- Recommended Denial of Interim Use Permit: The commission voted 6-0 to recommend denial of the IUP for outdoor storage of four portable chillers. The recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action at the May 5, 2026 meeting.
- Election of Officers (unanimous):
- Chair: Christos Jensen
- Vice Chair: Steve Schwanke
- Secretary: Chris Whitfield
- Upcoming Workshop: Staff indicated a workshop on the data center moratorium is anticipated in May or June 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Uh welcome. We're calling to order the advisory planning commission meeting for April twenty eighth, twenty twenty six. Uh this is the point where we stand in for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. At this point, uh Mr. Schultz, are there any changes to the agenda or any updates? Uh Mr. Chair, there are no changes to the agenda. Okay, uh with that, then I will entertain a motion to approve tonight's agenda. Okay, I have a motion for Member Whitfield. Second, Mr. Chair. I have a second from uh Vice Chair Schwanke. All in favor, please raise your hand and say aye. Aye. And I see that that has passed six to zero. Um next, um are there any changes to the minutes uh that you're aware of, Mr. Schultz? Uh Mr. Chair, there are no changes to the minutes. Uh I do note that uh uh Secretary Wagner is uh absent, so if uh one of you can sign the minutes for t before you leave tonight, uh maybe Mr. Schwonke since uh you're good at that, uh look to you. Uh thank you. Uh with that, I will entertain a motion to approve the minutes of last month's advisor planning commission meeting. Um so there's a motion by member Whitfield. Second. Second by Vice Chair Schwanke. All in favor, please raise your hand and say aye. All right. So this is the portion of our uh agenda where we open it up to any items not currently on our agenda that the public would like uh for the commission to hear. Um and so anybody who has an additional item that they would like us to hear, you're welcome to come forward and present that now. Okay, uh not seeing any new items. Uh we will move uh this discussion back to the commission for our first new business. And this is applicant Iron Gate data center. Um and I understand this is a approval of an interim use permit, and Mr. Schultz, uh, will you be presenting on this? I will, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Uh so before you tonight is uh interim use permit uh request for outdoor storage for four trailer uh chiller units uh for the operation of the data center located at thirty-one ninety-nine pile of knob road, uh lately described as lot two block one unis park. I do want to note that it's lot two block one, so um as part of your motion tonight they do have a corrected legal description. I think it inadvertently it said lot one. So uh so the property is generally located uh at the south uh west corner of Pilot Nab Road and Tower V Road. Uh and the request for the IUP is for uh six months. Uh so the property uh basically is fully developed with approximately 312,000 square foot building uh with employee park parking essentially uh flanking three sides of the building. Uh the south and southwest portions of the site abut Central Park to the south. Uh the city's Speary Towers located uh just to the north uh the property, uh located here. Uh and the site slopes uh southwest from the building towards the park with the developed portion of the site relatively uh flat with some landscape along both the north and the uh easterly portion of the site. Uh surrounding land uses include uh townhomes, attached townhomes to the north and uh northeast of the property, uh single family residential uh to the east. Uh Pilot Knob Park is located to the north, just on the north side of uh Tower View Road, an additional single family to the uh northwest of the site.
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