Chippewa County Board to hear comments on moratorium
The Chippewa County Board is holding a public hearing on a proposed 10-month moratorium on data center development. Residents and county officials have expressed concerns about the loss of farmland, increased utility costs, and the need for comprehensive planning to address infrastructure impacts. A vote on the ordinance is scheduled for September.
The Chippewa County Board is scheduled to conduct a first reading of an ordinance proposing a 10-month moratorium on data center construction, with a public hearing on the matter held at the Chippewa County Courthouse. While no vote will occur at this initial meeting, the ordinance is slated for a second reading and potential vote in September, which, if approved, would keep the moratorium in effect until July 2027.
County Board Chairman Jason Bergeron, also a member of the Planning & Zoning Committee, supports the moratorium. He cited public concerns over the potential loss of farmland and rising utility costs associated with data center development. The proposed moratorium, though listed as county-wide, would specifically apply to towns that have adopted the county's zoning ordinance, including Anson, Eagle Point, Hallie, Lafayette, Wheaton, and Woodmohr. Bergeron hopes other towns will strengthen their own regulations.
The draft ordinance emphasizes the need for a moratorium to allow the county to research the environmental, land use, health, and infrastructure impacts of data centers. This research would inform potential amendments to the Chippewa County Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations. Patricia Popple, a resident of Chippewa Falls, advocated for an extended 18-month moratorium, arguing that 10 months is insufficient for thorough research and the development of protective ordinances.