Facing debate over data centers — one of the country's fastest-growing forms of development — a Wisconsin town is considering a temporary halt after residents turned out in large numbers for a public hearing.
In Janesville, the proposal was greeted with applause.
What happened?
On Tuesday, Janesville's planning and zoning committee backed a 12-month moratorium on data centers, according to GazetteXtra. The ordinance is expected to go before the full town board at its Monday, Aug. 3, meeting.
Anticipating a big crowd, officials shifted the public hearing to the Woodman's Center. Residents from Janesville and Beloit then filled rows of chairs in the convention hall, including attendees from the Town and City of Janesville and the Town of Beloit.
Town officials said no formal data center project has been submitted. Instead, the discussion grew out of an April letter from a tech company describing a data center concept at North Polzin and West Fenrick roads, on farmland near dozens of homes.
Committee member Mathew Everhart, who made the motion, said: "This is a first step and then it gives the town a chance to check out what's going and do what's best for everybody in the future."
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Why does it matter?
Much of the concern centered on how fast a community should move when an industrial-scale development could affect nearby homes, farmland, shared water resources, and local power systems.
Rock County Supervisor Philip Gorman, who lives in the Town of Beloit, made a similar case. As GazetteXtra reported, he has repeatedly introduced resolutions aimed at regulating data centers.
"You as Town of Janesville folks have a power that few towns do in this state and have a complete and total control over your zoning," Gorman said. "That is a wonderful thing, but it is also a great responsibility."
A one-year moratorium would not permanently block development, but it could give local leaders time to study possible impacts and put rules in place before any large project moves forward.
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At the same time, critics of moratoriums often argue that delays can slow investment, construction, and potential job creation. That tension is common in fast-moving tech development, where towns may want the economic opportunity while residents want protections in place first.
What's being done?
If the town board approves the ordinance, Janesville would begin a one-year review period to work on "appropriate regulations," according to GazetteXtra. The recommendation also leaves open the possibility of extending the moratorium if more time is needed to complete that process.
That period could give officials time to address the issues residents appear most concerned about, including where facilities could be built, how close they should be to homes, and how local water and power resources would be weighed before any permit moves ahead.
"I would really encourage you on behalf of the people in the City of Beloit and Town of Beloit that share an aquifer and who share power companies that you approve this moratorium and do what unfortunately the County Board of Supervisors couldn't do for these people," Gorman said.
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