Dane County Board Approves 18-Month Pause on Hyperscale Data Center Development

June 04, 2026
CountyBoardPress@danecounty.gov, (608) 228-9053
County Board

Action follows committee amendment narrowing the moratorium to large-scale facilities

DANE COUNTY, Wis. — On Thursday, June 4, 2026, the Dane County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a temporary halt on permits for hyperscale data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. The measure, Sub 1 to 2026 RES-039, prevents the receipt of applications for, and the granting of, any zoning permits related to the placement or construction of hyperscale data centers for the next 18 months.

The pause is intended to give the county adequate time to study a category of development that is expanding rapidly across the country and to determine how it fits within Dane County's existing land use framework. The resolution directs that time be used to examine the environmental, economic, health, and safety implications of data centers and to develop zoning regulations aligned with the Dane County Comprehensive Plan.

Following review by the Zoning and Land Regulation Committee, the resolution was narrowed to apply only to hyperscale data centers, defined as facilities that use at least 5,000 servers and occupy at least 10,000 square feet of floor space. Smaller data center infrastructure is not affected.

The moratorium applies to towns subject to county zoning. It does not apply to cities, villages, or towns that have adopted their own zoning codes.

“Communities across Dane County are watching this issue closely, and there is real concern that proposals could move forward before we have the information needed to properly evaluate them,” said County Board Chair Patrick Miles. “Pressing pause is the responsible step. It protects our communities while we do the work to understand what hyperscale data center development would mean for our land, our infrastructure, and our residents.”

The county board’s Advisory Committee on Data Centers, established to study these questions and recommend policy responses, is currently engaged in this research. The moratorium is intended to align with the timeline of the committee's work.

Miles also encouraged neighboring jurisdictions outside the moratorium's reach to consider parallel action. “This is a regional question as much as a local one,” he said. “I hope our partners in cities, villages, and towns with their own zoning will look at taking similar steps so that no community in Dane County is left without the benefit of this research.”

The resolution now heads to County Executive Melissa Agard for her consideration and signature.

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About the Dane County Board of Supervisors: The Dane County Board of Supervisors is the legislative and policymaking body of Dane County government. Composed of 37 supervisors elected to represent each county district, the county board’s mission is to effectively represent the people of Dane County, providing services that secure the blessings of freedom, ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and perfect the forms of government. Learn more about the county board at https://board.danecounty.gov/.