City of Dubuque to collect public feedback on proposed data center ordinance
The City of Dubuque, Iowa, is initiating a public feedback process for a proposed ordinance to regulate future data center developments. This comes after a data center developer approached the city and amid a 12-month moratorium enacted by Dubuque County Supervisors due to public concerns. The city aims to address community concerns regarding water usage, electricity, noise, and environmental impacts before any council action.
The City of Dubuque, Iowa, has announced a public engagement process to gather community feedback on a proposed ordinance aimed at regulating potential data center developments within the city. This initiative follows an approach by an unnamed data center developer in May, which prompted city officials to assess local infrastructure requirements.
Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen noted that any data center project would require zoning approval from the Dubuque County Supervisors. The County Board of Supervisors previously imposed a 12-month moratorium on data center developments due to public concerns and rumors about potential projects.
Dubuque City staff are planning several public engagement options to ensure community input is incorporated. Key issues identified for consideration include water usage, electricity demand, noise, and broader environmental impacts. Mayor Brad Cavanagh emphasized the importance of a well-designed feedback process to facilitate dialogue, stating that the city council will not take any action on data centers until an ordinance is in place.