Rapid City

Pennington County, South Dakota. Status: Adopted Ordinance.

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Rapid City allows data centers as a permitted use in its Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts under rules adopted in December 2024, and the only data center standards are proof, filed with the building permit application, that the electric, water, and sewer providers can serve the site. Proposed Ordinance 6746 would prohibit hyperscale data centers and add limits on power, water, noise, and distance from homes, but the Planning Commission delayed its vote to January 21, 2027, and the mayor has said he will propose a six-month pause on data center permits.

Status
Adopted Ordinance
County
Pennington County
Rating
1 of 10 Core Protections addressed (Narrow coverage), 0 at the best standard, 4 of 104 points
Where data centers are allowed
Permitted use in the Light Industrial and Heavy Industrial districts
Ordinance
No. 6644 (2024); Municipal Code Sections 17.04.176 and 17.22.020(L)
Last verified
November 12, 2026

Key Milestones

  • January 21, 2027: The Planning Commission is scheduled to take up Ordinance 6746.
  • November 25, 2026: The mayor intends to introduce two items at the Planning Commission: a six-month moratorium on data center permits, and an alternate ordinance with added protections.
  • November 5, 2026: The Planning Commission delayed its vote on Ordinance 6746 to its January 21, 2027 meeting so that staff could review more than 900 public responses.
  • November 4, 2026: City staff said they would ask the Planning Commission on November 5 to continue Ordinance 6746 to December 10, 2026.
  • September 10, 2026: Ordinance 6746 was introduced at the Planning Commission, which continued it to November 5, 2026.

Sources

See every place listed in Pennington County

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