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Planning commission favors township-first moratorium approach for data centers
Summary
Commission members reviewed a sample township moratorium and directed staff to pursue a township-level path first, citing legal limits on county moratoria without documented health or safety findings; Matt was directed to work with corp counsel and visit townships to determine village powers.
The Vernon County Planning Commission spent the meeting reviewing options for a temporary zoning ordinance aimed at limiting large data centers and directed staff to pursue a township-level approach before seeking county action. The chair summarized that general government had asked the commission to "look at a temporary zoning ordinance or moratorium in reference to data centers," and members discussed whether the county could meet the legal standard for a countywide moratorium.
Staff and members emphasized that a county moratorium would require demonstrating a specific health or safety hazard under state statute, which the commission said it currently lacks. Matt (speaker 7), who prepared sample language and a packet of statutes, noted the moratorium is "a temporary safeguard to allow you to put parameters behind all your zoning districts." Commissioners said that townships with village powers could adopt moratoria more straightforwardly and that the county should first encourage townships to act.
Members reviewed a town ordinance used by Cassville/Caswell as an example template. The sample ordinance contains a two-year maximum pause (or until adoption of a comprehensive zoning ordinance) and expressly disallows exceptions for "large scale data center[s]" during the moratorium period. Commissioners asked Matt to circulate the draft, coordinate with corp counsel to produce a county template, and report back on which townships have the authority to adopt such measures.
A commission member raised concerns about potential data-center impacts — energy use, water consumption and noise — but said documentation tying those impacts to a health-or-safety finding would be required before the county pursues a moratorium. The commission agreed to prioritize township outreach and to assemble mapping and ordinance materials for towns that lack zoning, with the goal of buying time to draft permanent standards if needed.
The commission did not adopt a formal moratorium at the meeting; instead it directed staff to prepare drafts, consult corporate counsel, and begin outreach. The decision point for county action was left contingent on township responses and any collection of technical evidence that could support a county-level health-or-safety finding.
