Dane County Board approves 18-month pause on hyperscale data center development
The Dane County Board approved an 18-month moratorium on new hyperscale data center development in unincorporated areas of the county. This pause allows county leaders to study the impacts of such development. Smaller data centers are not affected by this resolution.
The Dane County Board of Supervisors has enacted an 18-month moratorium on new hyperscale data center permits within the unincorporated parts of the county. This decision aims to provide county leaders with time to conduct a comprehensive study on the potential impacts of these developments.
Hyperscale data centers are defined as facilities utilizing at least 5,000 servers and covering a minimum of 10,000 square feet. The pause specifically targets these large-scale operations, excluding smaller data centers.
The moratorium's scope is limited to towns under county zoning authority, explicitly not applying to cities, villages, or towns that maintain their own distinct zoning codes. The approved resolution now advances to the Dane County Executive for further action.