JANESVILLE The City of Janesville will host a public workshop to gather community input on the development of a proposed Data Center Companion Ordinance Aug. 13 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the program room at Hedberg Public Library.
According to a city press release, the workshop will be held in a drop-in format, allowing community members to visit a series of stations at their own pace.
Each station will provide information about potential guidelines for the companion ordinance and give participants an opportunity to share what they would like to see included. City staff will be available throughout the workshop to answer questions and gather feedback.
As interest in potential data center development continues to grow, the Janesville City Council has directed staff to draft a companion ordinance that would establish additional guidelines beyond existing zoning and building codes for any future data center development and operations within city limits.
The effort is intended to expand oversight of data center projects, minimize potential impacts on the community and ensure future developments align with local priorities.
The ordinance development follows months of discussion surrounding a proposed data center project at the former General Motors/JATCO site.
On June 22, the City Council allowed its letter of intent with developer Viridian Acquisitions LLC to expire while directing staff to move forward with creating a companion ordinance before considering future data center proposals.
Unlike zoning regulations, which primarily govern land use and site design, the proposed companion ordinance would focus on ongoing operational standards, reporting requirements, financial assurances and other long-term expectations for data center facilities.
Feedback collected during the Aug. 13 workshop, along with comments submitted through an upcoming community survey, will help shape the ordinance before a draft is prepared and presented for additional public review.
City officials say resident participation is essential to ensuring the final ordinance reflects community values, expectations and priorities for future data center development in Janesville.
Questions about the workshop or the ordinance development process may be directed to the Economic Development Office at 608-755-3059.