Three rural Manitowoc County towns, Two Creeks, Two Rivers and Mishicot, have told would-be data center developers to hold that thought. Today, the town boards voted at a rare joint meeting to ask the county to block any new, not-yet-approved data centers for at least a year while local officials study the environmental and economic fallout of large facilities. The resolution also urges county leaders to create consistent zoning and regulatory standards before the next big proposal shows up.
Residents who attended earlier meetings this month pushed for a timeout so rules and safeguards are in place before corporations start filing formal plans. The joint resolution asks Manitowoc County to analyze both environmental and economic impacts, write uniform zoning or regulatory standards, and allow a six-month extension of the moratorium if needed, according to WTAQ. Town Chair Dean Anhalt stressed to local boards that the move is about fact-finding, not an outright ban on data center technology. Officials framed the pause as leverage to negotiate protections for water, roads and property across the lakeshore communities.
Turnout has been unusually strong for small-town government: more than 70 people packed into a joint meeting where leaders walked through the moratorium idea and potential next steps. Residents pointed to unsolicited approaches from land scouts as a tipping point that pushed them to act, NBC 26 reported. Earlier this winter, community backlash in neighboring Brown County helped persuade a developer to scrap a proposed site, a reminder of how fast local organizing can derail big-ticket projects, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Town leaders in Manitowoc County plan to send their shared resolution to the county’s Planning and Parks Committee before any potential County Board vote.
Residents Cite Water, Energy And Housing Concerns
At public hearings, residents zeroed in on water and quality-of-life issues. They raised alarms about heavy water use, round-the-clock noise, higher electricity demand and the possibility that property values could slide if a massive industrial-style complex lands next door. Those talking points are echoing across nearby communities. The Village of Greenleaf is drafting an ordinance that would restrict data centers after vocal community pressure, WBAY reported. Local officials there say the goal is to make sure any future project is a good neighbor, not to slam the door on developers entirely.
State Rules Are Moving, Too
All of this local maneuvering is unfolding while state lawmakers race to get in front of Wisconsin’s data center boom. The Assembly this month passed AB 840, a Republican-authored bill that would require large data centers to report annual water use, rely on closed-loop cooling systems and block operators from shifting electricity costs onto residential ratepayers, according to WisPolitics. Supporters and critics are split on whether the bill adequately protects ratepayers and the environment, and lawmakers around the state have introduced related measures dealing with reporting requirements, impacts on the electric grid and local control.
Developers, meanwhile, have not exactly vanished from the map. Cloverleaf Infrastructure announced it would walk away from the Greenleaf site but is still weighing other options in northeast Wisconsin, a key reason many towns want a preemptive pause, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. Manitowoc County officials are expected to dig into technical studies, zoning issues and utility questions as the moratorium proposal moves through committee, with a possible County Board vote after that review.
For residents along the lakeshore, the next big dates to watch are the Planning and Parks Committee meeting and any subsequent County Board hearing, where the exact timelines and rules for a pause would be spelled out. Manitowoc County Planning and Zoning oversees zoning and permitting for the towns that fall under county code and will play a central role in evaluating the three towns’ request.
