Residents seek moratorium on proposed Menomonie data center; Dunn County committee discusses zoning, authority

Terry Seibold, a Menomonie resident, urged the Dunn County Planning, Resource and Development (PRD) Committee on Oct. 15 to pause any approvals for a proposed data center near Menomonie.

"I urge you to be courageous as public officials and say no to data centers in Dunn County," Seibold told the committee during the public-comment period, saying the project would transform more than 300 acres of farmland and raise concerns about energy and water use, noise, traffic and property values.

Seibold was one of 11 speakers who addressed the committee about the proposal. Speakers cited water consumption, light and noise pollution, nondisclosure agreements surrounding city-level negotiations, and uncertainty about long-term local benefits. Joanna Kellner said, "Why should we let such a water consuming project take our water?" Other speakers warned of falling property values and said the development process had been rushed and opaque.

Adam Acula, identified in the record as director of economic development for Greater Dunn County, urged the committee to frame the debate around the limits of county authority and the townships the county regulates, saying, "Any policies enacted by the county board regarding development will apply specifically and exclusively to the townships that follow county zoning." He recommended preparing review criteria and working with utilities before ruling out an entire industry.

Why it…