Wausau Plan Commission to consider zoning rules for data centers at Tuesday meeting
The Wausau Plan Commission is scheduled to meet to discuss proposed amendments to the city's zoning code that would introduce regulations for data centers. The amendments aim to define data centers and require information on water, wastewater, energy demand, and sound to assess utility capacity and conservation goals. Currently, Wausau has no specific data center proposals.
The Wausau Plan Commission is set to convene on Tuesday at 5 p.m. to deliberate on incorporating new regulations for data centers into the city's existing zoning code. The proposed changes are intended to proactively position Wausau should a data center project be put forward in the future.
Assistant City Planner Carrie Edmondson highlighted in a memo to the commission that Wausau's current zoning code lacks definitions or specific regulations for data centers. The proposed ordinance amendment seeks to address this by formally defining a data center and mandating that any future proposals include detailed information on water usage, wastewater, energy consumption, and sound levels.
This information is crucial for the city to evaluate its utility capacity and ensure alignment with local conservation and resource-protection objectives. The meeting will include a public comment period and potential action on these proposed amendments, though it was noted that there are currently no specific data center proposals under consideration for Wausau.