Data center moratorium

Called the moratorium common sense, cited grid reliability risks from data centers, and thanked the 3,500 petition signers for giving the community a voice.

Urged a yes vote on the moratorium, saying it would repair trust after the Viridian proposal and allow time for strong zoning protections on water, air, grid, and quality of life.

Asked for a twelve-month moratorium, thanked Councilmembers Miller and Erdman for opposing the Viridian letter of intent, and urged the council to listen to residents.

Called the moratorium a step toward healing public distrust, citing a year of unanswered concerns about water, noise, light pollution, roads, and zoning, and urged a yes vote at the public hearing.

Said he's glad to see the moratorium on the agenda and hopes it buys time for real research and data-center-specific zoning metrics.

Urged the council to expedite the 12-month moratorium, let regulators craft safeguards, and give residents a chance to vote on the citizen referendum and in next spring's council election.

A local construction company president backed the moratorium as a tool to allow proper zoning code updates for responsible development, expressing confidence in city staff.

Thanked the council for the city manager recruitment and said he supports the moratorium, arguing no due diligence happened with the earlier letter of intent and that experts on health, environment, and finances should weigh in.

Atkinson called for a moratorium on all hyperscale data center development until a zoning rewrite and supplemental protections are in place, while reflecting on the community engagement the Viridian proposal sparked.

Asked the council for an 18-month moratorium on data center actions, citing four possible sites and concerns about environmental, quality-of-life, and financial harms, and saying most citizens oppose data centers.

Spoke for Rock County Neighbors United against the LOI extension and urged a moratorium like Dane County's, saying protections should come before proposals.