A temporary moratorium prohibits the County from accepting applications to construct or operate a qualifying data center and from considering or issuing zoning permits, building permits, conditional-use permits, or other zoning approvals for one. The moratorium lasts twelve months, unless repealed, modified, superseded, replaced, or ended earlier by permanent data-center regulations.

The moratorium applies to a data-center building, campus, or group of buildings exceeding 10,000 square feet when primarily used for cloud computing, artificial intelligence computing, digital storage, networking, internet hosting, colocation, cryptocurrency processing, high-performance computing, or other electronic data processing, together with infrastructure reasonably necessary to support it. Covered infrastructure includes substations, transmission facilities, battery storage, backup generators, fuel storage, cooling systems, water and wastewater facilities, fiber infrastructure, security facilities, parking, loading, and access roads. (definition of “Data Center”)

The moratorium does not apply to routine maintenance or repair of existing legally established facilities, accessory server rooms or computer equipment that do not meet the data-center definition, government-owned public-safety communications facilities, or utility, energy-generation, or energy-storage facilities not constructed solely or primarily to serve a proposed data center. (exceptions to the moratorium)

The moratorium automatically ends when permanent zoning regulations governing data centers become effective, even if twelve months have not elapsed. The County’s data-center information page states that the current moratorium expires on August 11, 2027.

Outside the moratorium exceptions, no building, structure, or land may be used, constructed, moved, reconstructed, enlarged, converted, or structurally altered without full compliance with the zoning chapter and all other applicable local, county, and state regulations. (compliance requirement)

No building, sign, or structure, including trailers, may be constructed, enlarged, altered, or moved in an area subject to the zoning chapter until all applicable permits have been issued. (permit requirement)

New or redeveloped commercial development requires Department site-plan approval before building or zoning permits may be issued. The application must include detailed information such as proposed uses, employees, customers, operating hours, expansion plans, buildings, utilities, parking, loading, outdoor storage, lighting, landscaping, stormwater facilities, impervious surfaces, and building elevations. (commercial site-plan requirement)

A commercial site-plan application must be accompanied by an applicable fee, two paper copies, a searchable PDF, and a CADD-format electronic copy. (site-plan submission requirements)

Approved commercial site plans expire unless the required building and zoning permits are applied for and approved within twelve months; otherwise, a new site-plan application and applicable fees are required. (site-plan expiration rule)

A building or zoning permit becomes void unless construction begins within six months. The permit expires unless the exterior is completed within one year and the building is completed within two years; renewal or reapplication fees and additional time limits apply. (permit-lapse and expiration rules)

A conditional-use permit, if required for the proposed use, requires a public hearing, mailed notice to property owners within 400 feet and the town board chair, and a written Committee decision within 60 calendar days after the hearing. (conditional-use permit procedure)

Conditional-use permits may impose conditions addressing structures, setbacks, road access, screening, parking, drainage, sanitation, noise, dust, odors, emissions, heavy machinery, heavy vehicles, traffic, operating hours, duration, and expansion. (permitted conditional-use conditions)

A conditional-use permit lapses if the use is not fully established and property improvements are not implemented within twelve months after approval, or if the conditional use is abandoned for twelve consecutive months. It may also be revoked or modified after a public hearing for violation of conditions or substantial adverse effects on nearby persons or property. (conditional-use expiration and revocation rules)

Commercial or industrial development must provide solid screening along lot lines adjoining residential districts, and outside storage must be screened from public road rights-of-way. Front screening must generally be at least five feet high and side and rear screening at least six feet high, subject to limited waivers. (commercial screening requirements)

Commercial and industrial outdoor lighting must be fully shielded, directed away from adjacent properties, and designed to prevent light trespass; flashing, revolving, intermittent, search, and laser lighting are generally prohibited. (commercial lighting requirements)

Buildings and uses must meet district dimensional requirements, including maximum building heights, minimum lot areas and widths, setbacks, and yard requirements. The dimensional schedule lists, for example, a 75-foot height limit and 40-foot rear-yard requirement in the Industrial District, with additional restrictions potentially applying by district. (dimensional requirements)

Required off-street parking and truck loading or storage areas must be provided. For warehouses and industries, parking is generally based on one space for every two employees on the two largest shifts, while truck-related uses must provide sufficient off-street loading and truck parking. (parking and loading requirements)

Access driveways must comply with road-jurisdiction approval, spacing, number, width, setback, and emergency-access requirements. Commercial, industrial, and agricultural lots are generally limited to two access driveways, each no more than 35 feet wide, subject to additional spacing requirements. (access-driveway restrictions)

Structures generally must be set back 50 feet from state and federal highway rights-of-way, 40 feet from county-trunk rights-of-way, and 30 feet from town roads, public streets, and other Class C highways. (highway setback requirements)

Violations may result in a forfeiture of $100 to $500 plus taxable costs, imprisonment for up to 30 days for nonpayment, separate offenses for each day of violation, and injunctive enforcement. (penalties for violations)

Data centers with total floor area of 10,000 square feet or less are outside the moratorium’s definition, so the moratorium does not bar their applications or permits, subject to all other applicable zoning rules. the total square feet exceeds 10,000 square feet

Routine maintenance or repair of existing legally established data-center facilities is exempt from the moratorium. Routine maintenance or repair of existing legally established facilities

Server rooms or computer equipment that are accessory to an existing principal use are exempt, as long as they do not meet the moratorium’s data-center definition. Server rooms or computer equipment accessory to an existing principal use

Government-owned or government-operated public-safety communication facilities are exempt from the moratorium. Public safety communication facilities owned or operated by a governmental entity

Utility facilities, energy-generation facilities, and energy-storage facilities are exempt when they are not constructed solely or primarily to serve a proposed data center. not constructed solely or primarily to serve a proposed Data Center

The moratorium lasts no more than 12 months unless earlier repealed, modified, superseded, or replaced, and it automatically ends when permanent data-center zoning regulations take effect. This removes the moratorium as an obstacle after the stated period or earlier regulatory replacement. shall remain in effect for a period of twelve (12) months

The Committee may approve cooling towers, penthouses, stacks, water towers, and other necessary mechanical appurtenances above the normal district height limit. This can accommodate specialized data-center equipment, subject to Committee approval. cooling towers, penthouses, stacks

The Committee may authorize public utility buildings, structures, and utility lines in any district as conditional uses when reasonably necessary for public convenience and welfare, potentially facilitating utility infrastructure associated with a data-center project. Public utility buildings, structures and lines