At a Sept. 14 Dubuque County work session, a resident pressed the board to draft an ordinance that protects residents first, while zoning staff demonstrated countywide maps showing proposed 0.5-mile residential setbacks and other buffers. Supervisors asked for clarity on measurement methods and next steps.

Thirteen community speakers told the committee NDAs block democratic oversight and urged transparency, early notice to council, and a moratorium on hyperscale data centers; testimony highlighted water, energy, noise, and jobs concerns.