The Vilas County Zoning and Planning Committee voted unanimously to support an ordinance that would install a temporary, 12-month moratorium on permitting and development of data centers, battery energy storage systems, and certain solar energy systems during a public hearing held Sept. 23.

About 20 people were in attendance for the 9 a.m. hearing. Several members of the public spoke in favor of enacting the moratorium, while there was no opposition voiced either in person or via communications with the committee.

Most of the comments in support revolved around the importance of maintaining the natural resources in the Northwoods.

Committee Chair Richard Logan noted early on in the meeting that this was not to look at future ways to manage data centers, only if the county should consider installing the moratorium. Public comments were limited to that topic.

Zoning Administrator Dave Sadenwasser spoke on the thought process behind the moratorium, and also made it very clear that there has been no contact by developers or operators looking to place these structures in the county. This move is purely to give the county time to work through the types of rules and regulations it would like in place if an application was to be presented.

Sadenwasser indicated that these types of centers cannot be banned on a permanent basis under state law, and that the moratorium can not exceed 24 months.

He also presented some changes to the original ordinance that added language clarifying what types of public health and safety they are aiming to protect. Some of these included things like regulating glare and glint hazards, stormwater runoff or drainage, vegetation management and herbicide use, groundwater and surface water quality and other hazards.

He noted language was added so the moratorium would not exempt things like solar panels or battery energy backups for homes. 

‘The Wild West out there’

With questions on what will happen legislatively as this topic develops, Oneida County last month passed its own moratorium on the structures.

Here, residents were relieved to hear that no data centers had their sights set on Vilas County so far, and also thanked Sadenwasser and the committee members for putting work in on this topic to protect the area.

Town of Washington resident Nancy Moriarity said with not much currently in place legislatively, it’s “kind of the Wild West out there.” 

Sadenwasser also indicated that it was his belief that, if the ordinance passes the county board in November and is put into effect, there will be more guidance available from the state in the next 12-24 months by the time the moratorium would expire. 

Logan supported the ordinance, saying it gives the county time to take a break and figure out the best way to regulate these storage systems and data centers, noting that “they will continue to be part of our life.”

Supervisor Dan Kramer, a former committee member who was sitting in the meeting to make a quorum, said he was also in support in order to have time to balance the growing economy of the county with the environmental needs of the area. 

Making a motion to advance the proposed ordinance was committee member Jane Van Wormer, who emphasized the importance of environmental protections. 

“The natural resources here are what we live off — it’s our industry here,” she said. 

The motion was seconded by Patrick Weber and the committee voted unanimously to approve.

The full Vilas County Board of Supervisors will vote on the proposed ordinance during its next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. at the courthouse.