Wisconsin Rapids Considers 12-Month Data Center Moratorium
The Wisconsin Rapids Planning Commission recommended a 12-month moratorium on new data center proposals, which will now go to the Common Council for a vote. State Representative Scott Krug stated that PNK Group's current conditional use permit application may be incomplete due to a lack of disclosed end-user information, as required by state law. Citizens are actively expressing concerns and looking for stronger ordinances beyond just a moratorium.
The Wisconsin Rapids Planning Commission recently voted 6-0 to recommend a 12-month moratorium on new data center proposals. This recommendation will now be brought before the Wisconsin Rapids Common Council, which will discuss and vote on whether to accept it as policy. If approved, the moratorium would provide the city a year to revise its existing ordinances related to data center development.
State Representative Scott Krug clarified the legal implications, noting that state law 2017 Act 67 requires conditional use permits to disclose certain information. Krug suggested that the current proposal by PNK Group for a hyperscale data center at the old mill site might be incomplete because it does not disclose the end-user or how the data center will be used. He recommended that the planning commission consider the application incomplete or deny it if deemed complete without this information. This specific project would not be affected by the proposed moratorium, as it was already submitted.
Citizens have expressed significant concerns and distrust regarding PNK Group due to limited information about its owners and a lack of confidence in their promises. While some residents view the planning commission's action as a positive step, many believe a moratorium is insufficient and are advocating for the immediate passage of more robust ordinances.