Stutsman County Proposes Zoning Rules for Data Centers and Solar Farms

The Stutsman County Planning and Zoning Commission moved forward Jan. 3, 2026 with draft ordinances that lay out where and how commercial solar farms and data centers may be sited in unzoned parts of the county. The drafts include detailed setback and siting requirements that county zoning staff say are intended to address public concerns about noise, lighting and security.

Under the draft language, data centers would be barred within 2 miles of any dwelling, school, park or place of religious assembly, and would have to be at least 3 miles from any other data center. Applications for data centers would be required to include an acoustic study and mitigation plans such as sound walls or baffles. The draft also mandates security fencing, specified lighting and façade standards intended to reduce visual and light impacts for nearby properties.

Commercial solar farms in the draft would be required to provide security fencing, sit at least 100 feet from property lines and maintain a half-mile separation from any occupied residence. Additional setbacks would apply from township roads and state highways. The commission is also considering designating battery energy storage facilities and carbon capture sites as conditional uses that would trigger review by the county commission.

Public minutes show the topics have been under consideration since the previous summer, and county staff indicated the planning and zoning commission may consider a first formal draft in January or February 2026 before forwarding it to the county commission for deliberation and possible adoption. Officials stressed the county ordinance would primarily affect townships without their own zoning regulations; many Stutsman County townships already retain local zoning authority and would remain the permitting body for projects within their boundaries.

Local impacts are likely to be practical and financial. Setbacks and acoustic requirements aim to protect nearby homes, schools and community institutions from noise, lights and perceived security intrusions. For rural landowners, solar leases can provide new revenue while changing agricultural land use patterns; data centers may bring construction jobs and infrastructure investment but generally add few long-term positions. Battery facilities introduce concerns about safety and fire risk that communities increasingly weigh against storage benefits.

County Commissioner Amanda Hastings emphasized the need to balance protections for residents with opportunities for future economic growth. The planning process now moves toward public review and hearings, where township officials, landowners and residents can weigh technical standards against local priorities.