Public hearing set for proposed Clayton County data center ordinance
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
The Clayton County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 14, to consider a proposed Data Center Ordinance for recommendation to the Clayton County Board of Supervisors. If recommended by the commission, the ordinance would move to the Clayton County Board of Supervisors for further consideration and final approval.
The Clayton County Planning and Zoning Commission has been developing the ordinance over the past several meetings. The draft addresses potential concerns including noise, visual impact, water use, effects on surrounding properties, impacts on local emergency services and land remediation following the end of operations. It also considers the taxable value of structures.
Data centers have become a common topic across Iowa, Wisconsin and surrounding states as more projects look to locate in the Midwest. Lower energy costs, access to water, available land and tax incentives have made the region attractive, along with access to power infrastructure. As interest grows, state and local officials are weighing potential economic benefits against concerns related to land use, natural resources and community impact.
Development of an ordinance comes as interest in locating data centers in Clayton County has emerged. In December, representatives from Allamakee-Clayton Electric attended a board of supervisors meeting to discuss possible data mining projects in the area. Representatives outlined potential benefits, including increased energy demand that could help stabilize electric rates and possible job creation, though employment levels would not be guaranteed. They also noted that similar facilities are being developed across Iowa and said feedback from other communities has generally been positive. Water usage concerns were noted, with representatives explaining the proposed projects would use a closed-loop cooling system.
The Clayton County Board of Supervisors approved extending the moratorium on data mining centers, established in Resolution 8-2025, through Dec. 31, 2026, at its Dec. 2, 2025 meeting. The moratorium was originally approved Feb. 25, 2025, as a temporary pause to allow officials time to study potential impacts and develop regulations before allowing new applications to move forward.
The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. in the public meeting room at the Clayton County Office Building, 600 Gunder Road, Elkader. A sign-in sheet will be used and members of the public will have the opportunity to speak during three-minute comment periods. For more information on the proposed draft, contact Clayton County Zoning Administrator Caytee Jones at (563) 245-2451 or cjones@claytoncountyia.gov.
