Dodge County may create a moratorium on new data centers in its future following a committee decision to investigate the possibility.
The Dodge County Board of Supervisors’ executive committee met on Monday and authorized the Dodge County Land Resources and Park committee to look at developing a land use ordinance.
If approved, the moratorium would prevent new construction of data centers in unincorporated portions of Dodge County while the county looks at creating an ordinance. A public hearing will be scheduled in June or July to discuss the proposed ordinance.
The idea was brought to the committee by Dodge County Supervisor Cathy Houchin, from Watertown. Houchin is not on the executive committee but did attend the meeting on Monday.
“I don’t think it is something we could wait on,” Houchin said. “I think it is something that needs to be done now. Time is of the essence. I have heard some rumors about some more farmers being talked to about property being sold to Meta. We need to do something now.”
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State statutes allow a moratorium to be put in place so ordinances can be developed to create regulations, Dodge County Corporate Council Kim Nass said.
“I think it would be prudent for a referral to Land Resources and Park Committee so they can start studying and developing an ordinance,” Nass said.
Houchin also wanted to bring the idea to the Dodge County Board.
It would be possible to bring an advisory resolution to the Board to assess supervisors’ opinions on the issue, Nass said.
“I just don’t want us to drag our feet because we tend to do that, and it would get stuck in committee after committee,” Houchin said.
About 30 people attended the meeting with several speaking in favor of a moratorium during the public speaking period.
Sara Zarling, who also lives in Watertown, thanked the committee.
“I am very, very thankful that you are considering having a moratorium,” Zarling said. “I don’t have an active data center proposal in my community, but I have been a longtime community organizer supporting the residents of Beaver Dam and their efforts to fight back against the data center.”
Meta Platforms — which owns Facebook and Instagram, among other social media and messaging platforms – is building a $1 billion, 700,000-square-foot facility on 830 acres north of Beaver Dam, between Highway A and Hemlock Road.
A second data center, being built by Oppidan, is being built on 13 acres near the intersection of Highway 151 and Hemlock Road. Oppidan’s site would include a 90,000 square-foot building between the Generac and Meta sites.
While the moratorium would give the county board time to develop an ordinance, it would not affect cities or villages, Nass said.
“Certainly, the county has no jurisdiction over and can’t enforce it in the cities or the villages,” Nass said. “It really is only for the unincorporated areas.”
Dane, Manitowoc and Rock counties also are considering data center moratoriums.
