New City of Kaukauna logo (Image courtesy City of Kaukauna)
KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The city of Kaukauna amended its laws on data centers Tuesday, though no active projects are being pursued right now.
The Kaukauna Common Council approved an amendment to city ordinance to allow for data centers in the city’s industrial zoning areas, but with some restrictions.
Essentially, a data center needs special approval now, whereas without this amendment, any developer could buy existing industrial property and convert it to a data center without the city’s prior approval.
Ordinance allows data centers with additional checks
- Any new data center would require common council approval
- Data centers allowed in industrial zoned areas (if approved)
- No off-site parking allowed for day-to-day operation
- Yearly inspection to ensure compliance
- Electrical usage, water usage must not exceed a certain amount without prior recommendation from Kaukauna Utilities and approval from the Common Council
- Additions, new buildings and changes in use must be approved by Common Council
The Alliance for the Great Lakes reported last summer that there were 43 data centers in Wisconsin, including multiple in Northeast Wisconsin. Residents of the village of Greenleaf successfully pressured a business into abandoning its plan for a data center earlier this month.
In Racine, Microsoft’s data center expansion has been met with significant backlash.
Also Tuesday, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill placing restrictions on data centers.
Mayor says Kaukauna is being proactive, wants to protect electrical and water usage and environment
“Right now, we’re worried about water usage,” said Kaukauna Mayor Tony Penterman. “We’re worried about electrical usage. Groundwater is gold. We can’t sell out at the expense of our children and our grandchildren.”
Penterman said he isn’t sure if the city is allowed explicitly ban data centers. Either way, this decision leaves it in the hands of the Common Council if a developer wants to build a data center in Kaukauna.
“We don’t want that cost of infrastructure passed on our ratepayers,” said Penterman. “So they don’t get stuck with the cost for the big companies coming in, moving in, building and then leaving, and then we get stuck with paying for it.”
Negative public reaction, but mostly for data centers — not just this specific law
Four residents voiced displeasure with the measure Tuesday. They said they hope Kaukauna never allows data centers, though they acknowledged it’s good the city is being proactive.
“If the data center wants to come here, it would be a burden on everyone through increases in the electric,” said resident and business owner Dave Roloff.
One resident straight up said, “Not in my backyard.”
Data center unlikely to come to Kaukauna
The city is mostly built out, so it’s unlikely a large data center would ever come to Kaukauna — a sentiment echoed by the mayor. Data centers can be small, but the projects typically met with significant opposition are the large-scale projects like the one in the Racine area.
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