Green County Develops Data Center Rules After Approving Construction Moratorium
Green County officials are developing rules for data center development after approving a one-year construction moratorium in July. The county must allow data centers somewhere under state zoning law, and officials are considering extending the moratorium while they draft an ordinance and assess infrastructure concerns.
Green County officials are working on a data center ordinance three months after the County Board approved a nearly unanimous, one-year moratorium on construction. Zoning Administrator Adam Wiegel said state law prevents the county from banning data centers outright because its zoning regulations must provide a location where the use is permitted. The Land Use and Zoning Committee is scheduled to discuss the issue on Oct. 12, with final approval of any policy expected to require action by the full County Board.
No data center proposal has been submitted in Green County, and officials deny that the moratorium was created in response to a specific project. Wiegel said the county is considering a six-month extension to give officials more time to develop regulations, potentially through June 2027. He also said Green County lacks the electrical capacity and data connectivity needed for a large facility without major infrastructure investment, while public opposition has focused on data centers’ water and energy consumption, grid impacts and noise.