Milwaukee Approves One-Year Data Center Moratorium
Milwaukee's Common Council unanimously approved a moratorium pausing most new data center construction and expansions for up to one year while the city develops specific regulations. The action followed community opposition to a proposed 19,000-square-foot data center at the vacant Midtown Center Walmart site, which led the developer to remove the data center from the project.
Milwaukee's Common Council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on most new data center construction and expansions as city officials develop regulations for the industry. The pause can end early if data-center-specific zoning rules are adopted, while projects may still seek approval through the city's Detailed Planned Development process, which requires public hearings and votes by the City Plan Commission and Common Council.
The moratorium followed intense community opposition to a proposed 19,000-square-foot data center at the vacant Midtown Center Walmart site. Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic sponsored the ordinance, and Mayor Cavalier Johnson supported it. Officials cited potential impacts on electricity demand, water infrastructure, the environment and neighborhoods, while also noting broader state efforts to manage large data center customers' utility obligations. Milwaukee joins several other Wisconsin communities that have enacted data center moratoriums.