Superior City Council pushes back on future data center plans
The Superior City Council in Wisconsin unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data centers. The resolution also directs the city's planning commission to define "data center," regulate zoning, and study potential impacts. This action comes despite no current proposals for data center construction in the city.
The Superior City Council in Wisconsin has unanimously approved a two-part resolution that enacts a one-year moratorium on new data center developments within the city. The first part of the resolution directs the city administration to deny any applications for data center projects during this period.
The second part mandates the city's planning commission to conduct a study on the issue. This study will focus on defining what constitutes a "data center," establishing how zoning for such facilities would be regulated, and identifying the potential impacts these developments could have on the community. Council Vice President Garner Moffat, who authored the resolution, noted that these points currently remain undefined.
Superior Mayor Jim Paine clarified that no data center proposals have been submitted to the city to date. The planning commission is scheduled to begin its study at its next meeting, aiming to create a clearer framework for any future data center considerations.