Pierce County and Rapid City Delay Data Center Approvals
Pierce County paused data center applications for six months while Rapid City delayed an ordinance vote to incorporate public feedback on utility and noise impacts.
Local governments in two different regions are slowing the approval process for industrial data centers to better evaluate their environmental and infrastructure impacts. On October 26, the Pierce County Board of Commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on accepting new industrial data center applications. The pause, which expires April 26, 2027, is intended to provide officials time to research how these facilities affect water usage, electricity, and noise levels.
Zoning director Heather McWhorter stated the pause is not a permanent restriction but a period for education to ensure restrictions serve the best interest of the county. Officials are currently considering preliminary requirements for applicants and may implement a conditional use permit process modeled after regulations in Madison County.
In a separate action, Rapid City Community Development staff recommended that the city's Planning Commission postpone a vote on a data center ordinance until December 10. This delay follows an open house and survey that generated more than 900 responses. Planning Manager Jessica Olson and Community Development Director Vicki Fisher noted that the extra time is necessary to revise the ordinance's language regarding vibration, noise, and utility use based on public concerns. Fisher indicated that revised drafts will be released for further public comment before the Planning Commission and City Council review them.
