Cottage Grove passes data center moratorium
The Cottage Grove Village Board unanimously enacted a temporary 12-month moratorium on data center development larger than 10,000 square feet. This period will allow village staff to research the impacts of data centers on energy, water, traffic, and air quality, with the goal of adopting new comprehensive regulations.
The Cottage Grove Village Board recently passed a temporary moratorium on data center development in a unanimous vote. The moratorium applies to data centers exceeding 10,000 square feet and will last for 12 months, or until the village successfully adopts new regulations, whichever comes first.
During this temporary halt, village staff will conduct thorough research into the potential impacts of data centers, specifically focusing on energy consumption, water usage, traffic congestion, and air quality. A board member noted that the current zoning ordinances are not equipped to handle developments of this scale. The goal is to understand how to better protect local resources, residents, and neighbors from the effects of large-scale data centers.
The village also plans to collaborate with the Dane County Advisory Committee on data centers to ensure regional coordination. The Village Board's explicit intention is to establish comprehensive data center regulations before the moratorium concludes. There is also an option for the board to extend the moratorium for an additional six months if needed.