Cottage Grove considers temporary ban on data centers, follows growing trend statewide

The Village of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, is contemplating an 18-month temporary ban on new data center projects. Village President Cindi Kelm-Nelson stated this pause would allow officials to learn more about data centers and implement appropriate changes to their zoning code, ordinances, and comprehensive land plan, preparing for potential future proposals. The village currently has no data center plans in the works but seeks to establish a clear framework for evaluating them.

This initiative reflects a broader trend across Wisconsin, with multiple municipalities, including Dane County and Madison, having already enacted similar temporary moratoriums. A Marquette Law School poll in February indicated that 70% of Wisconsin voters believe the costs of data centers, particularly their high water and electricity use, outweigh their benefits.

Kelm-Nelson is also a member of a Dane County committee currently studying these impacts. While Dane County has already passed a temporary pause, it does not apply to areas with their own zoning codes, such as Cottage Grove. If approved, Cottage Grove's moratorium would allow them to await recommendations from the county committee to develop a "blueprint" for future data center development decisions, enabling informed approvals or rejections.