Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium

At a glance

• What: A proposed moratorium on hyperscale data centers, raised by the Lincoln County Commission and by public speakers during the adoption of the joint comprehensive plan.
• Where it stands: A Lincoln County motion to hold a moratorium hearing on the last Tuesday of September at 7 p.m. (tied to passing the plan) failed on August 25, 2026. The plan was then adopted without it.
• Next: A joint City Council and Lincoln County Commission community discussion was set for the last Tuesday of October at 7 p.m. (October 27).

Details

The Lincoln County Commission's first motion on Shape Sioux Falls 2050 Comprehensive Plan (Resolution 92-26) bundled two amendments, the first being the moratorium hearing. That motion failed and a substitute motion, adding only the October community meeting, passed. The vote counts on the County side are not recorded.

Public input at the meeting covered potential discussions about data centers, terminology used around them, moratoriums, financial and water supply impacts, EMF radiation, and creating public advisory boards for ordinances. The minutes do not name individual speakers.

Sources

• Minutes, August 25, 2026 (Lincoln County joint meeting): https://amv.siouxfalls.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Documents/ViewAgenda?meetingId=4325&type=Minutes&doctype=2

Log

2026-10-14 - City Council

Recording: several residents asked for more review time, a pause or a moratorium, and raised water, power, coolant disposal and nondisclosure concerns.

General public input again included concerns about hyperscale data centers. The minutes name no speakers and record no Council response.

2026-08-11 - City Council

General public input at the regular City Council meeting included data centers and contaminated water from data centers. The minutes name no speakers and record no Council response.

2026-08-25 - Joint Sioux Falls City Council - Lincoln County Commission Meeting

Moratorium-hearing amendment failed along with the County's first motion; extensive public input on data centers; October community meeting added to the adopted plan resolution.

• 2026-10-27 - Joint Sioux Falls City Council - Lincoln County Commission Meeting - Joint meeting devoted to data centers: DSU overview, small groups, public input on a moratorium; no vote on a moratorium recorded in the minutes summary.