Metered Mining receives conditional use permit for Hammond data center
Metered Mining received a conditional use permit for a small-scale data center in Hammond, Wisconsin, from the Village Board of Appeals. This decision reversed an earlier denial by the village board, influenced by legal counsel warning of potential lawsuits if the permit was rejected. The permit was granted with several conditions addressing noise, water usage, and site security.
The Hammond Village Board of Appeals has granted Metered Mining a conditional use permit to construct a small-scale data center. This decision on Monday reversed a previous 5-0 vote by the broader village board in May to deny the permit, which had been tabled in April.
The reversal came after Village Attorney Paul Mahler advised the Board of Appeals that rejecting the permit could lead to a court decision forcing the village to issue a permit without any negotiated conditions. Metered Mining's attorney, Adam Jarchow, had argued that the village board failed to follow proper legal procedures when it denied the permit and intended to file a writ of certiorari if the permit was not approved.
Residents had previously expressed concerns about the proposed data center, citing potential noise and water pollution. Despite this opposition, the Board of Appeals approved the permit with specific conditions. These include noise limits (75 decibels at 10 feet, 50 at property line), a 3,000-gallon monthly water usage cap, requirements for propylene glycol spill containment, quarterly coolant system reports, and the installation of a security fence and blue spruce trees. Village President Tony Bibeau was the sole dissenting vote on both motions.