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The Data Center Divide

City of Menomonie

Anti-Data Center Policies

Menomonie’s enacted ordinance allows data centers in a designated district, but requires rezoning, public hearings, City Council approval, and 400-foot setbacks on all sides, limiting suitable sites.

current law · City of Menomonie
Establishes the I-4 Data Center Industrial District and revises Menomonie’s zoning treatment of data centers by separating them from warehousing.City of Menomonie Ordinance 2026-01 (2026)

What this means

The measure creates a district where data centers can be built, but it removes them from the warehousing definition and requires land to be rezoned, with public hearings and City Council approval. The [400-foot setbacks on all sides](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/menomoniewi/latest/menomonie_wi/0-0-0-14207#:~:text=four%20hundred%20feet%20(400%27) make suitable sites harder to find, so the new pathway comes with significant barriers.

People behind it

  • Prepared Proposed Ordinance 2026-01 creating the I-4 Data Center Industrial District.

  • Director of Public Works who presented and administered the proposed ordinance for City Staff.

  • Attorney who assisted City Staff in preparing Proposed Ordinance 2026-01.

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  • Introduced, considered, and adopted Ordinance 2026-01.

  • Reviewed Proposed Ordinance 2026-01 and recommended its approval.

  • Moved to conduct the first reading of Proposed Ordinance 2026-01.

  • Seconded the first-reading motion and moved to waive the second reading of Proposed Ordinance 2026-01.

  • Moved for adoption of Ordinance 2026-01.

  • Seconded the motion to adopt Ordinance 2026-01.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements8
  • Data centers are removed from the definition of “warehousing” and separately defined as a distinct use, so they are no longer authorized merely under zoning provisions that permit warehousing. The ordinance creates a separate “Data Center” definition

  • A data center may operate in the I-4 Data Center Industrial District only as an expressly permitted use; buildings or premises may not be erected, converted, enlarged, moved, or structurally altered for an unlisted use. The I-4 permitted-use rule

  • No land was zoned I-4 when the ordinance was adopted. Any property intended for a data center would therefore require rezoning to I-4, with public notice, a public hearing, and City Council action. No lands are currently zoned Data Center Industrial (I-4)

  • Any modification of the I-4 district would require public notice, public hearings, and City Council action. Any modification of the Data Center Industrial (I-4) District would require public notice

  • I-4 buildings are limited to 45 feet or three stories, whichever is less. Height: Forty five feet (45') or three (3) stories, whichever is least

  • I-4 development must provide 400-foot front, side, and rear setbacks. Front Yard Setback and side and rear yard setbacks

  • I-4 development must comply with the code’s lot-area, vision-clearance, and off-street-parking requirements, incorporating the standards referenced in Sections 14-4-7, 10-4-5G, and 10-4-7. Referenced lot area, vision clearance, and parking requirements

  • The I-4 district strictly prohibits ammunition manufacture, storage or warehousing; automobile wrecking yards; explosives manufacture, storage or warehousing; fireworks manufacture, storage or warehousing; inflammable-gas or inflammable-liquid manufacture, storage or warehousing except in conjunction with airport operations; and junkyards. The strictly prohibited uses

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions6
  • The I-4 district expressly permits a standalone “Data Center” use, providing a specific zoning category for data-center development rather than relying on the prior warehousing definition. Data Center

  • I-4 districts also allow any use permitted in a commercial district, expanding the range of complementary commercial activities that may operate at a data-center site. Any use permitted in any commercial district

  • I-4 districts allow any use permitted in the restricted industrial district, allowing data-center sites to use the broader set of industrial activities authorized in that district. Any use permitted in the restricted industrial district

  • Uses customarily incidental to the permitted uses, along with accessory buildings and structures, are allowed in the I-4 district, supporting related facilities and site operations. Uses customarily incidental

  • The measure establishes a defined regulatory classification for data centers based on their storage, management, processing, and transmission of digital data and associated computer equipment, which clarifies what facilities qualify for the I-4 use. DATA CENTER means establishments

  • Changes to the I-4 district and rezoning property into it require public notice, public hearings, and City Council action, creating a procedural safeguard against unilateral zoning changes; however, the process does not prevent future amendments or rezonings. Any modification of the Data Center Industrial (I-4) District would require public notice, public hearings and City Council action

Sources

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