Port Washington limits construction hours for data center project after complaints

Residents of Port Washington, Wisconsin, have voiced strong complaints regarding the 24-hour construction schedule of the $15 billion Vantage Data Centers campus in their city. Citing incessant noise from backing trucks, light pollution shining into homes, and increased traffic, locals like Kim Tydrick and Dean Wiegert described a significant loss of quality of life and urged city officials to intervene. Their concerns were presented to the Port Washington Common Council in February and reiterated at a recent meeting. In response to the community's outcry, the Port Washington Plan Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the project's building, site, and operations plan on Thursday. This amendment restricts outdoor construction activities to between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. Additionally, site lighting must be "reduced to security levels" after 8:30 p.m. Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke IV issued a statement explaining that the 24-hour construction was always intended to be temporary, aimed at expediting the project to an indoor phase. However, he acknowledged that the benefits of speed no longer outweighed the inconvenience to residents, stating, "The overnight work is simply too disruptive and needs to end." Vantage Data Centers, through its Vice President of Global Marketing Mark Freeman, affirmed its commitment to working with the city and community interests, prioritizing project schedule, safety, and resident needs. The new hours are set to take effect next month, allowing a transition period for the developer and its contractors.