Brown County committee declines to pursue data center moratorium
The Brown County Planning, Development & Transportation Committee unanimously declined to consider a countywide data center moratorium, citing a lack of authority over local zoning laws. Instead, a three-person subcommittee will survey local governments on data center sentiments and suggest constructive county involvement. The decision was met with significant public opposition and frustration from residents and politicians concerned about the environmental and socioeconomic impact of data centers.
The Brown County Planning, Development & Transportation Committee on June 2 unanimously rejected the pursuit of a countywide data center moratorium, despite public objections. Committee members reasoned that such a measure would be ineffective because the county lacks authority over local zoning laws, which are independently adopted by towns, villages, and cities within Brown County.
Instead, County Board members Dan Theno, Jim Pyle, and Christopher Welch will conduct an informal survey of local governments to gauge their opinions on data centers. Welch, who initially proposed the moratorium and is not on the committee, will report their findings along with suggestions on how the county could constructively engage with local data center matters within its legal bounds. This decision followed advice from county corporation counsel David Hemery, who indicated uncertainty about the state law's relevance to data center moratoriums and confirmed the county's limited zoning authority.
The committee's decision provoked strong criticism from the approximately 80 members of the public present, including local politicians like Green Bay School Board member Jeannette Knill. Many expressed frustration at what they perceived as a lack of courage and imagination from county officials, arguing that the county was abdicating its authority on a crucial issue. Residents like Rebecca Kitchen of Suamico highlighted the potential wider impact of data center developments on well water and the power grid, emphasizing the need for county-level intervention. Some attendees directed expletives at committee members, reflecting the high level of public anger and opposition to new data center projects in the region, such as Cloverleaf Infrastructure's proposed 1-gigawatt AI data center in the Village of Wrightstown.