Residents ask for a moratorium on data centers
The Pierce County Board approved an ordinance regulating data centers, allowing them in industrial zones with conditional use permits. However, residents strongly urged the board to enact a 12-month moratorium to study impacts on natural resources, water, and the power grid.
The Pierce County Board in Ellsworth, Wisconsin, voted 16-1 to approve an ordinance on August 25 that amends the zoning code for data centers and contractor yards. The new ordinance defines data centers and outlines conditional use permit requirements, stipulating that these facilities would only be allowable in industrial zoning districts.
Land Management Director Andy Pichotta noted in a memo that the limited area currently zoned for "heavy industry" within the county, coupled with a town's veto authority over rezones, would likely limit potential applications. Any proposed rezone would need support from the affected town and consistency with its comprehensive plan.
Despite the ordinance's approval, several citizens spoke against it, calling for a 12-month moratorium on data centers. Teresa Davis, a Rock Elm resident, pointed to similar moratorium efforts in Chippewa, Polk, Rusk, Eau Claire, and St. Croix counties, urging Pierce County to study the impacts on the power grid and natural resources. Juliet Tomkins, a member of GROWW and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, called the ordinance "woefully inadequate" for "opening the door wide to data centers" and asked the board to reject it.
Supervisor Claire McCarty voted against the ordinance, aligning with residents' concerns. Supervisors Mel Pittman and Frank During, however, argued that having some regulation in place was better than none, providing a starting point for managing future development.