Brainerd Votes to Only Allow Data Centers with Conditional Use Permits

The Brainerd City Council held a vote on Monday on whether data centers would be allowed to be built in the city. An ordinance was approved to let businesses operate a data center only if they have a conditional use permit.

One concern brought up by council members was the noise that a potential data center could output. According to C&C Technology, noises inside of a data center can reach up to 96 decibels, roughly equivalent of the noise a lawn mower would make.

In the ordinance that the council read, a sound study would need to be completed by any company wishing to establish a data center in the city. However, Ward 2 councilor Kelly Bevans questioned how that could be achieved before a center is built.

“So how would like, a company like Blockmetrix [a cryptocurrency mining business] satisfy that being that there’s nothing there?” asked Bevans.

“So they’d be hiring a third-party sound engineer to produce a sound report off of the baseline study and then also what’s projected,” replied James Kramvik, Brainerd Community Development Director.

The council passed the ordinance unanimously.