Staff proposed a site-specific approval process, a new heavy-industrial zoning district and three size tiers for data centers. Commissioners raised questions about utility demand, noise, safety, local authority and coordination with cities; detailed standards are expected next month.

The Decatur Planning & Zoning Commission voted to forward a staff‑draft data‑center overlay zoning ordinance (SI 260001) to city council with recommended edits including possible bond/decommissioning language, expanded noise testing and water safeguards.

The Town of Grand Rapids voted to send a draft letter to the City of Wisconsin Rapids (also copying the planning commission and common council) asking officials to consider shared impacts — including water use, energy demand, noise and temperature — raised by residents about a proposed data center.

The council unanimously adopted staff‑proposed text amendments to restrict data centers to light‑ and heavy‑industrial districts with conditional use permits and to add a separate definition for telecommunications facilities; residents urged stronger limits on large data centers citing water, power and noise concerns.

House Bill 2535 would require certain data-center owners to provide floor plans and interior-contents inventories to local first responders (with limited distribution) and imposes civil penalties for noncompliance; the committee advanced the bill on a 25-1 vote after debate over funding and preparedness.