DELAVAN — In January, Kaukauna adopted a zoning ordinance amendment to help regulate how the city would handle possible data center proposals in the future. Now at least one other Wisconsin community is considering the same approach.
Although the city of Delavan in southern Wisconsin also has fielded no proposals yet for a data center, the city council will consider a zoning amendment next week to get out in front of any possible future inquiries.
That’s the same approach that Kaukauna took in approving its ordinance amendment that now requires an extra layer of review if a data center should want to build in Kaukauna’s Industrial District.
Notably, Kaukauna’s ordinance now limits water and electrical usage at any approved data center project.
As AI companies work to rapidly build out their data center infrastructure, local residents across the state are pushing back over concerns related to the environment, water usage and the massive amounts of electricity required to operate the facilities.
According to a statement released last week, Delavan recently issued a public hearing notice regarding a proposed zoning amendment related to data centers. The purpose of this amendment is to create a clear zoning category and establish appropriate local regulations for this type of land use.
“Data centers can have significant land use, utility, infrastructure, noise, and community impact considerations. By reviewing this issue now, the city is taking a thoughtful and responsible approach to protecting long-term planning interests, preserving appropriate development patterns, and ensuring that any future land use requests are evaluated under clear local standards,” the city said in its statement.
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