Gardner decides not to vote on 6-month data center moratorium
The Gardner City Council chose not to vote on a resolution that would have placed a six-month moratorium on data center applications, effectively rejecting the proposal. This decision came despite strong community pushback from residents urging its approval. The Mayor cited existing processes as sufficient without a moratorium.
The Gardner City Council decided against adopting a resolution for a six-month moratorium on data center applications, effectively killing the measure. The motion failed to receive a second during a recent meeting.
This decision followed significant community opposition to a previous data center application at 183rd & South Clare Road, which the company later withdrew after the city indicated it would not grant incentives. Residents, including Kristen Schultz, spoke during public comment, strongly advocating for the moratorium to allow for careful evaluation of data center impacts.
Mayor Todd Winters acknowledged residents' concerns but noted that data centers he visited in other communities appeared similar to logistics sites. Councilmember Kelly Johnson questioned the moratorium's six-month duration, citing difficulty in finding unbiased information. City staff suggested that revising existing city codes and ordinances could still occur even without a moratorium. Ultimately, Mayor Winters stated that due to existing city processes, a moratorium was deemed unnecessary.