Strong opposition: Jefferson Council talks data centers
The City of Jefferson Common Council met to discuss data center development, with officials and residents expressing strong opposition to hyperscale facilities. City Administrator Timothy Freitag stated no data centers have been proposed and the city's infrastructure is inadequate for large projects. The council unanimously opposed large data center development and plans to develop restrictive zoning amendments and regulations.
At a recent Common Council meeting in Jefferson, Wisconsin, elected officials and residents voiced strong opposition to the development of large-scale data centers within city limits. City Administrator Timothy Freitag presented an overview, emphasizing that no data center proposals have ever been received for Jefferson, and that the city's limited land (e.g., an 84-acre agricultural site vs. 250+ acres needed for a 500MW facility) and insufficient utility infrastructure (60MW substation capacity vs. 500MW demand, and limited water wells) make it unsuitable for hyperscale data centers.
Freitag cautioned against an outright moratorium, noting that smaller, more innocuous data center types exist, and the goal should be to regulate the size and scale of welcome developments. Proposed zoning amendments would set limits based on building footprint (e.g., 20,000 sq ft) or energy demand (e.g., 5 MW or less) for appropriate industrial districts. The city planner is set to develop these additional regulations by September for public policy discussion, which would then be integrated into the city's zoning ordinance and master plan, potentially even influencing areas just outside city boundaries.
Alderperson Scott Obernberger expressed concern about the legal vulnerability of an outright ban, preferring robust regulations that "slam the door shut" on mid- to large-sized centers, acknowledging that a "county moratorium" does not apply to cities like Jefferson. Alderperson Peg Beyer also advocated for tough ordinances as the city's best defense. Mayor Dale Opperman conducted an informal poll, revealing unanimous council opposition to large data center development, a sentiment he shared, while still valuing the council's discretion for future technology changes.