4-9-26 Special City Council Packet

CITY OF MENOMONIE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Menomonie City Hall 800 Wilson Avenue 1st Floor, City Council Chambers 7:00 pm Thursday – April 9, 2026 Page 1 of 1 Pledge of Allegiance 1. Roll Call 2. New Business: a) Summary of Written Public Input Received regarding Data Center (I-4) District – Discussion only (no action). 3. Public Comments (agenda items only) 4. Adjourn “PUBLIC ACCESS” NOTE: Members of the public may view City Council meetings via Zoom Teleconference / Video Conference or over the internet by going to https://zoom.us/join (URL for Zoom meeting), or by calling 1 312 626 6799. The Access Code for the meeting is 825 2728 7020. Please note this is for viewing purposes ONLY . If you wish to participate, you must appear in person at the meeting. NOTE: Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities. For additional information or to request the service, contact the City Clerk or the City Administrator at 715-232-2221. MEMORANDUM Zaria Whitacre, Communications Specialist communications@menomonie-wi.gov 715-232-2221 Ext. 1108 TO: City Council FROM: Zaria Whitacre, Communications Specialist SUBJECT: Public Comment Opportunity for Data Center (I-4) District Zoning Updates Responses DATE: March 20, 2026 ATTACHMENTS: PDF Public Comment Opportunity for Data Center (I-4) District Zoning Updates Responses City Council Members, Enclosed are 19 pages with the responses received for the Public Comment Opportunity for the Data Center (I-4) District Zoning Updates on or before March 9th, 2026. Thank you, Zaria Whitacre Public Comment Opportunity for Data Center (I-4) District Zoning Updates (Responses) 2/10/2026 14:11:36 Julie Swenson utphall@gmail.com N11614 State Road 79, Boyceville I live near the City of Menomonie. Water Usage, Electricity usage The amount of water used affects an area much greater than the city of Menomonie. The kind of water consumption typically seen used at the large data centers could impact ground water reserves that do not have city boundaries. There should be significant limits placed on how much water is used. The consumption of electricity is similar. It will affect an area much larger than the city of Menomonie. Maybe they should have to install a certain percentage of their own electricity generation such as their own geothermal or their own solar panels, etc. Geothermal could help them with cooling as well. 2/10/2026 16:50:54 Rachel Rizzo Rachelriz@gmail.com 1209 10th St E, Menomonie, WI 54751 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Water Usage, Cancer risk I don't want to pay more for our electricity just because a data center is driving up demand. How infuriating. 2/10/2026 17:51:22 Courtney Heidenreich 080115court.hh@gmail.com 1832 6th St Apt 3 I live near the City of Menomonie., I have other friends & family who live here & in surrounding communities that this will effect also Noise, Lighting, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Air pollution, emfs, & other health concerns coming to light caused by data centers not just to those within its community but also surrounding communities Respectfully, don’t build or even think of considering building this data center. No one I’ve talked to, heard from, or seen comments from on news outlets & city pages wants this. We are all concerned for our health, our communities health, our friends & families health, & the health of our environment. Ultimately other data centers are starting to show already very alarming things to us yet all of the bad things get ignored & these projects get pushed through anyway ignoring the peoples rights & desires for their communities. Please don’t let them build this data center. It’s not worth it for anyone. Our lives our worth more than a data center individually or collectively. 2/10/2026 20:25:11 Brit Blankenheim Britbee14@yahoo.com 2615 Nelson drive 2 Menomonie wi I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Water Usage, Long term job opportunities I will move out of this city if a data center is approved. I have family in other parts of the country who have had theirs lives affected negatively by the water usage, lack of jobs, lack of positive economic impact, and noise issues causing them to relocate. I will not stand for this. Require transparency and factual data on noise, water usage, utility cost increases on our already assets limited income restricted employed households. 1 2/11/2026 11:02:03 No Name Provided I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Water Usage, Energy and the economic benefits / tax incentives impacts. There is no data, research and/or studies of the impacts - done by the city, by the shell llc and/or the corporate entity (whoever that is).e "The following need testing, data, research and/or studies to ensure making an informed and educated decision. 1. Increased Utility Rates: Data centers increase local electric utility rates by driving up overall energy demand, which can strain grid capacity and force utilities to invest in costly infrastructure upgrades. These costs are passed on to residents through higher rates. Data centers have also secured long-term power agreements, which reduce the available supply and push prices up for other consumers. 2. High Resource Consumption: A single data center can consume up to 2 megawatt hours of power—equivalent to the power used by 2,000 homes—and millions of gallons of water annually for cooling, straining local resources and infrastructure. 3. Ineffective Tax Incentives: Tax breaks for data centers do not deliver the promised economic benefits, such as high-paying jobs, and they reduce local tax revenues, while shifting financial burdens onto communities and schools. 4. Climate and Energy Challenges: Data centers’ massive energy demands are prolonging the operation of fossil fuel plants and undermining state renewable energy goals, as seen in states like Michigan, Virginia, and Nebraska. 5. Resource Efficiency Trade-Off: While advanced cooling methods like liquid immersion and direct-to-chip cooling offer energy efficiency improvements, current technologies force a trade-off between energy and water efficiency, limiting sustainable solutions. 6. Policy Solutions: To mitigate data centers’ environmental impacts and align their growth with sustainability goals, policymakers should adopt model laws like the German Energy Efficiency Act, add requirements for new renewable energy, and enforce transparency through mandatory reporting. 7. Studies for “ALL OF THE ABOVE” - Generally speaking – vary limited studies, research and data provided by the Data Center companies themselves. This in my point of view, is an ironic lack of transparency; “there needs to be requirements for Data Centers” – in providing studies, research, test results, measurements, etc… " 2/11/2026 12:42:09 Tim Accola E6094 650th Ave I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Traffic, Landscaping, Water Usage, Power consumption, On site power generation, Pollution, Remediation of the site after it is abandoned, Impact of construction on tourism "Sorry I’m no legal expert so I have these written as plain English rather than ready to go modifications to the zoning code. Also this got pretty long (I’ve been stewing on this for 6 months at this point). These in my view are the minimum requirements to make a data center a viable and valuable pursuit in the Menomonie community. If these are untenable or unattainable then the actions shouldn’t be to remove requirements it should be to conclude that the project 2 doesn’t fit our needs. Be selective about the things you allow in… we all know the rich friend with the short reach when the bill comes to the table – don’t invite that into our community. Anywhere in here that I recommend assessments, surveys, etc. I mean in each instance that it should be completed by an independent third party not a firm recommended or hired by a prospective developer I just got tired of saying it every time. Also when I say strict fines for non-compliance I mean it. Whatever would actually make them stay compliant rather than be seen as just the cost of doing business. Noise: We should directly regulate noise to protect residents, businesses, and the character of the community. Data centers produce continuous sound from cooling systems, transformers, and other mechanical infrastructure, and if allowed, fossil fuel generators add even more disruptive low frequency noise! The noise pollution has been reported to travel miles and is all but unbearable for those close by. We should establish strict decibel limits at property boundaries including monitoring devices with strict penalties if they are not in compliance. Also require independent noise studies before any permits are issued. These studies must be performed by third party experts, not consultants hired by the developer. We should require physical noise mitigation features such as vegetative buffers, berms, and setbacks, and we should prohibit the installation of fossil fuel based generators entirely. This single requirement eliminates a major source of both noise and air pollution. The community should not be subjected to a constant industrial hum or intermittent generator blasts simply because a developer wants to minimize its own costs. Construction Phase Noise: We should actively manage noise produced during construction, which can last for years. To protect the character of the community, we should impose strict construction hour limits that prohibit early morning, late evening, and weekend activity with again very strict penalties if they fail to be complied with. We should require a comprehensive construction noise control plan that addresses sequencing of loud activities, use of quieter equipment when feasible, and installation of temporary sound barriers. We should mandate vibration monitoring for high impact operations. The developer should also be required to notify neighbors well in advance of especially loud construction phases. Nobody should be forced to endure uncontrolled industrial noise for multiple years. Traffic: We should tightly regulate construction related traffic. Data centers require enormous volumes of construction materials delivered by heavy trucks, and unregulated truck flows will damage local roads, create traffic bottlenecks, and disrupt everyday life. To prevent this, we should require a construction traffic management plan. We should require all construction traffic to occur outside peak commuting hours. We should impose road impact fees so the developer, not the taxpayers, pays for roadway wear and necessary repairs. We should also require construction to be phased in a way that does not force require expansion of public roadways. Construction Impacts on Public Utilities and Roads: We should address the strain that construction places on water, sewer, stormwater, and electrical systems. Data center construction requires extensive utility work, and without requirements in place, developers may overload existing systems or reroute public utilities in ways that create long term vulnerabilities. We should require proof of coordination with all 3 relevant utility providers before any permits are issued. We should also require performance bonds dedicated to the restoration of damaged roads and public infrastructure after construction. Temporary staging areas, parking zones, and laydown yards should be strictly controlled so they do not obstruct public rights of way or interfere with local businesses. We cannot allow long term stress on public systems simply because a developer doesn’t care about our community. Long Term Construction Duration and Temporary Workforce Impacts: We should require proactive planning for the workforce influx that accompanies data center construction. These projects often last several years and bring in thousands of out of state workers. This influx can overwhelm local hotels and short term lodging options, leaving tourists with nowhere to stay and reducing tourism revenue. We should require a workforce housing impact study for every project and mandate a mitigation plan. We should require the developer to coordinate with local tourism organizations to prevent economic displacement during peak seasons. We should also require full disclosure of projected construction timelines and workforce levels during the zoning review process so that the community is aware of the long term impacts before approvals are granted. Local Contractor Requirements and Use of Union Labor: This item also helps to address the above issue of housing out of town workers - We should ensure that data center construction benefits the local workforce rather than bypassing it. Too often, national contractors import their own labor, leaving minimal economic benefit for the surrounding community. We should require that a majority if not all of construction labor hours be performed by local workers or local contracting firms (local to West Central Wisconsin). We should require union labor or state certified apprenticeship programs for skilled trades to guarantee that the project meets high standards of safety, reliability, and worker training. We should require community workforce agreements that formalize commitments to fair wages, training opportunities, and local hiring. Developers should also be required to publish annual labor sourcing reports to demonstrate compliance. If a project occupies hundreds of acres and consumes massive local infrastructure capacity, it should also create meaningful jobs for the people who live here. Water Usage: We should implement strict limits on water usage to protect municipal supplies. AI focused data centers can use millions of gallons of water per day, placing enormous stress on systems designed for residential and commercial use. To prevent shortages and protect long term sustainability, we should impose absolute water use caps on each facility and require the exclusive use of municipal water systems rather than private wells. We should mandate unannounced inspections to ensure compliance, because developers will try to cheat on this one because the reason they want to develop in Wisconsin is because of the water capacity. We should require cooling technology that minimizes water consumption, and we should require hydrological studies performed by independent third party experts before any approval is granted. Safeguarding water resources must be non negotiable as we all need clean safe water to drink. Power Consumption: We should regulate the enormous electrical demand of hyperscale data centers. A single facility may use as much electricity as a large city, and unless we establish firm requirements, this 4 consumption will raise residential utility rates and limit future industrial development. We should require grid impact assessments before approval and make the developer pay the full cost of any required utility upgrades. We should also require the facility to participate in demand response programs so it can reduce load during peak demand events, helping maintain grid reliability, and ensuring that the people of the community are prioritized rather than giant nameless faceless multi-national conglomerates. The community should never subsidize the massive electrical appetite of a private data center. On Site Power Generation: We should prohibit the installation of diesel and natural gas generators, both during construction and during operation. These generators emit pollution, produce noise, and conflict with climate and public health priorities. Instead, we should require the facility to rely on battery storage or renewable energy microgrids for backup power. We should also require any purpose built power generation infrastructure to be constructed so that it can connect directly to the grid and continue serving the public after the data center is abandoned. This ensures that large infrastructure investments produce long term community value rather than becoming orphaned industrial equipment, or even worse landfill. Pollution: We should adopt strict pollution control requirements. Construction creates dust, sediment runoff, and air quality impacts that must be controlled through watering, wheel washing stations, erosion barriers, and similar measures. After construction, data centers may store large quantities of batteries, refrigerants, and other hazardous materials that must be regulated. We should require robust stormwater management systems with on site retention and filtration. We should require detailed hazardous materials management plans covering storage, handling, reporting, and emergency response. These controls protect both residents and the natural environment. Site Remediation After Abandonment: We should require legal and financial guarantees to ensure that abandoned data centers do not become long term community liabilities. Money in the hands of the community *not* the corporation who is here to abuse our land. These facilities sit on massive concrete slabs with buried utilities and potentially hazardous materials. Without enforceable requirements, municipalities may inherit enormous cleanup costs. We should require developers to submit decommissioning plans before construction begins, detailing removal of equipment, recycling processes, soil testing requirements, and full site restoration. We should require decommissioning bonds or escrow accounts to ensure funds are available regardless of the operator’s financial condition. We should set strict timelines requiring cleanup to begin within a year of closure so that sites do not sit unused and decaying. Negative Economic Impacts and Long Term Industrial Development: We should take strong measures to protect the long term economic health of industrial zones. Hyperscale data centers consume vast tracts of land and massive amounts of utility capacity, reducing the region’s ability to attract diverse industries. This will harm job creation and limit long term economic resilience. To address this, we should cap the percentage of industrial land that can be occupied by data centers to prevent monopolization of available land (if you want a number here I think maybe 5-10 acres feels about right). We should require developers to fund utility improvements that preserve capacity for future businesses rather than diverting it all to a 5 single facility. We should require economic diversification studies showing how a proposed project would affect opportunities for manufacturing, logistics, and other sectors. We should enforce architectural and landscaping standards to keep surrounding parcels commercially attractive. And we should require ongoing reporting comparing promised economic benefits to actual performance." 2/11/2026 12:44:58 John Carpenter Johnca1967@gmail.com 1212 4th ave east I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Landscaping, Water Usage, Power usage and how the city and surrounding area would be affected The zoning simply should not allow a data center to be built. What conditions are needed to make this happen should be provided by elected officials. What benefits do the majority of City residents and those in area receive from the data center being built. We are digging in the weeds way to much. Other than the land owners selling property, who benefits from this datacenter?There is way to much dancing around by the mayor, city council and others. 2/11/2026 18:54:17 Nichole Baier nbear1031@gmail.com N233 County Road Z Eau Galle WI 54736 My parents live just down the road from the proposed site Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Landscaping, Water Usage 2/11/2026 19:10:23 Rick Rooney rick@circlesystemsinc.com N6412 County Road B, Menomonie, WI 54751 I work in the City of Menomonie., I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage Living right next door to this proposed project, I àm concerned my quality of life has just cratered. My life's investment in this property is probably lost. I would like mine and my neighbors properties purchased by this unknown entity at above market prices, with moving expenses on top of that. 2/11/2026 19:26:20 Sandy Rooney sandyrooney@gmail.com N6412 County Road B, Menomonie, WI I work in the City of Menomonie., I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage Living less than 1/4 mile from where the proposed data center would be, my entire livelihood would be impacted. The noise pollution, water table impact, and property devaluation of my home is unimaginable. Everyone voting for a business like this should reflect if they would want one built right next to their home. I would like to see that every home impacted by a business like this be purchased from the company above market value with moving expenses included. 2/12/2026 19:26:38 Shari Werlein mrswerlein84@gmail.com E6329 10th Ave Durand I live in Dunn County Noise, Water Usage, Electricity 6 The constant noise from a data center is unacceptable. Water usage is a major concern especially for the resident's in the area.I don't want to see my electric rates go up! 2/13/2026 18:02:54 Melanie miss.mel.111@hotmail.com N7827 567th St Menomonie WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie. Power usage/source(s) It was my understanding from previous postings by the city that Ballonist LLC and/or the company it represents, were working with Exel Energy regarding power usage. I’ve also read that data centers often provide their own power via nuclear power modules, solar panel fields or wind turbines. My only concern about a DC being near my home (I live near the proposed location) is whether my utility bill from Exel would increase. I think that’s something only Balloonist and Exel can answer. I also recall that when the I-4 designation came up, the city admin said the new DC zoning would NOT affect the parcel purchased by Balloonist. Is the city now reneging on the warehouse zoning designation that was assigned to the parcel before it was purchased? Doesn’t seem to be a good look for Menomonie, or Dunn county for that matter. As the Menomonie industrial park continues to expand, the residual effects of manufacturing facilities and warehouses are being felt by rural residents. The traffic on highway B coming from the Walmart distribution center to 3 truck stops, to Anderson Windows, Hurlburt and now the Amazon facility has more effect on county residents than Menomonie residents. So far we’ve been hearing nothing but negativity from Menomonie leaders regarding a data center. Isn’t it well past time to hold public hearings that include representatives of Ballonist and/or whatever tech company they represent? Companies like Meta offer positive contributions to the communities where they have DCs, including water cleanup, educational (STEM) grants, development of green concrete, more efficient irrigation systems for farmers, on top of providing good paying jobs for local tradespeople over a period of several years, and high paying tech jobs upon completion of the facility. What I’d like to see is the city parsnip stand by the original rezoning of the parcel. My concerns about power usage can be answered by the tech company. Using the data center topic to stir up votes right before the mayoral election is obvious and sad, frankly. The transparency should have been there from day one of contact from Balloonist. 2/15/2026 13:20:23 Cody Reimer cody.reimer@gmail.com 2203 Tower Ridge Ave I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Water Usage, Power Usage, Permanent Jobs I don't want any data center whose power or water usage increases citizen's pricing. I don't want tax incentives that treat temp construction jobs as long-term community investment. 2/15/2026 18:31:30 Andrew Hagen andrew.hagen@gmail.com 2868 Whisper Court Unit 8 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Energy Use Storage data centers, even hyperscale data centers, have server racks that don't need to consume more than 15-20 kilowatts per rack. Non-hyperscale data centers consume up to 7 kilowatts per server rack. AI data centers consume around 100 kilowatts or more per server 7 rack. I propose a distinction between a Storage Data Center, which could be the I-4 District Zoning, and an A.I. Data Center which would necessitate its own zoning. A Storage Data Center would allow up to 20 kilowatts per server rack. If server racks would require more than 20 kW, then it would need to be rezoned as a new, high-demand data center. Any company that wants to build a data center must choose which zone their data center fits in, a storage data center, or a high-demand data center. This is separate from any type of requirement of the company to provide its own energy input to power the data center. If server rack capacity exceeds 20 kW per rack while the storage data center is still in the lower I-4 designation, the company must power down servers until they meet the requirement. 2/17/2026 7:54:17 steve faulhaber stevefaulhaber@gmail.com 803 24th street North I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I am a Business Owner in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Landscaping, Water Usage I am in favor of the data center, as long as it pays it own way and is not subsidized by the City taxpayers. The City needs a bigger tax base and there are already more jobs than there are people to fill them in the area. Noise and lighting should be kept to a minimum, but the east side already has the race track, airport, and sand mine that produce plenty of noise. Wal Mart, among others, throws off plenty of light pollution. Don't let a loud minority kill what may be a good deal for the City. 2/17/2026 23:50:44 McKinley Siegle msiegle@umich.edu E5229 710th Ave Menomonie WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie. Lighting, Water Usage, Electricity Use "1. Lighting should not be floodlights outward, should strive for minimal light/noise pollution. 2. They should have to disclose on a frequent (daily/monthly) basis how much water is being used in all operations and have an elected independent board that imposes accountability through cap limits on usage. 3. The electricity that will be used for this data center on a continuous basis is an issue, not just for potential grid strain but that our bill as residents will be higher, and could be significantly higher. They should have to pay for the respective increase in power consumption for the county, and pre-emptively address grid reliability issues through local infrastructure modernization investments should this go through. This should also probably be independently guided." 2/18/2026 14:54:01 Stacey Siegle stsiegle@gmail.com E5229 710th Ave Menomonie I work in the City of Menomonie., I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Water Usage, electricity I am concerned about a data center putting a strain on our energy grid. I am also concerned about the ways our electricity bill would skyrocket (as seen with other data centers built around the state). We live in the country for the quiet and darkness. A data center (or any building) typically adds a lot of light pollution. I am concerned about the ways the constant noise would 8 interfere with the ecosystem. We have a lot of freshwater in Menomonie and in the midwest in general. I am concerned about the strain/drain a data center would put on our water supply. 2/18/2026 17:31:57 Steve Siegle ssiegle@charter.net E5229 710th Ave I work in the City of Menomonie., I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Water Usage Concerned about the potential of: a strain on the power grid; subsequent increased electricity costs that may not be shared or absorbed by the main user (rather Menomonie and surrounding area would suffer the absorption); noise and light pollution; traffic congestion especially given the nearby Amazon Distribution coming in; strain on water supply/aquifer and the longevity of water supply. 2/18/2026 20:57:52 No Name Provided I work in the City of Menomonie., I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage Where is the question that asks whether we support a data center being built? The biggest problem is the lack of transparency in the process that brought this issue to our community in the first place. We need to go back to square 1, not start in the middle of the process. All of the issues listed above have become issues in the communities that have allowed data centers to be built, even with so called limits or rules. There are serious quality of life consequences to the people who live here of allowing this to go further. It is clear that this is NOT wanted in our community. Do your job and listen to the people. If you can't do that, put it up for a vote and let the people decide. 2/21/2026 12:41:40 Charles Barnard Wizodd@gmail.com 214 18th St N I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Parking requirements for normal volume rather than maximum occupancy, end of life facility decommisioning costs (put in trust and maintained at a number greater than independent engineering analysis, reviewed annually,) local power impacts, runoff water impacts, aquifer impacts, local weather impacts "See ""other"" First, no NDA's should be permitted when negotiating with companies, transparency is a vital requirement of government. Two, nothing should be built without considering the past records of behavior by the company or the individuals operating and negotiating for them. Poor previous actions should disqualify them. Three, end of life removal and clean up of the site costs must be independently determined by engineering analysis, and funds exceeding that amount by 20% must be maintained in trust at all times, adjusted for inflation annually for inflation under 5% or every 6 months between 5-10%, every month 10-20%, daily over 20%, redetermined every time changes are made to the site and every 4th year after an evaluation Three, local environmental impacts such as, aquifer health, atmospheric heat release, rain runoff etc al need to be independently evaluated and re-examined with every modification to the site, as well as routinely every 4th year. 9 Four, before approval, the site needs to have erected a visual, full sized replica and of the facility and site as it will appear from adjacent properties for public review and discussion for one year, to ensure that it's acceptable to the people. Said visual must accurately represent the actual facility and landscaping when built. Five, no tax breaks. Companies routinely promise jobs and income which don't go to residents and thus the community. They play games to get the best deal which seldom actually balance the lost taxes and additional service costs for infrastructure and services. Six, all costs of oversight, prosecution costs etc al shall be paid by the company, regardless of outcome in court or other settlement. Any major company has resources far beyond those of our governmental agencies, and it's the duty of government to ensure that no decisions result in a loss of public funds." 2/27/2026 8:44:21 Terry Siebold tsiebold29@gmail.com E6500 690th Ave. Menomonie, WI I live near the City of Menomonie., Resident of Town of Red Cedar. Live within 0.5 of Balloonist owned property Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Construction impact to nearby residents including dust, noise, lighting of area after dark, access to our homes, , depreciation of home values for residents within several miles of data center, small number of employees per square foot of structure is this economic growth for Menomonie?,electrical rate increases, property tax impacts, long-term monitoring of compliance with I-4 regulations, cost of that monitoring to city budget, do not allow TID/TIF financing, transparency from end users of project, no NDAs allowed. "Noise needs to be at a low decibel level, monitored on a regular basis, more than once a year! Noise level needs to include vibrations. Limit hours during construction. Lighting will follow guidelines already in place in City with no exceptions. Ambient light at a minimum. Traffic related to data center kept off of 690th Ave. Repair of Highway B for damage from construction vehicles be paid for by end user. Adequate turn lanes be constructed for use during construction. Building height maximum be measured to include any items on the roof of the building. Height already in the I-4 zoning plan should be used with no increases. Landscaping should be included in immediate occupation of building with the main purpose to hide structures and mediate noise as much as possible. Water usage will need to be monitored on monthly basis with restrictions that are set by experts in that area. Provisions should include payment by end user for future private well replacement that may be incurred because of contaminated water or private wells that ""run dry"". The ""other"" concerns I listed should also be included. From what I understand, the construction period alone could last years. Limits on days work can take place as well as length of construction each day should be strongly enforced. I want to be able to use my outdoor space! Escrow account should be established in the event the Data Center closes and abandons the buildings. 3/2/2026 14:31:52 Sherry Gibbs sherrygibbs99@gmail.com 411 Fagstad Street I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Water Usage, Environmental issues I am 10 concerned about the environmental impacts of a data center on our local environment. Water usage and pollution is a huge issue. We already have issues with algae blooms in our lake and river, we do not need to further deteriorate them. 3/3/2026 5:58:03 Benjamin Howard Benjamin.t.howard@gmail.com E5440 815th Ave Menomonie WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Traffic, Water Usage "My concern for lighting is that it will add to light pollution from the city and take away from ascetic of the farm land. Traffic is already increasing annually around Menomonie and infrastructure is already limited especially for a city on the interstate. The water usage is a substantial amount that developers have disclosed and is far too excessive for the area. I enjoy living just outside of Menomonie because it’s a small town with plenty of resources for every need. Building a monstrosity of a data center seems great for the economy on the surface but I believe is insidious and will ruin the small town charm of Menomonie in years to come. This will set a bad precedence. " 3/3/2026 6:04:44 Cheryl Williams 1002williams@gmail.com 1002 Ingalls Rd. Menomonie Wisc. I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Water Usage, Electric bill costs from data center Cost from data center should not transfer to residents and and it should not be taxed as a warehouse. It’s a business and should not get tax breaks 3/3/2026 8:57:36 James Colvin wyzurd1@gmail.com N3019 County Road Y, Menomonie I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Water Usage, No NDA's, closed loop water cooling system, noise limits. total transparency as to ownership. no financial impact on local residents of any kind. Basically other than being able to see the structure there should be no other impact on the area. The city council should enact ordnances requiring compliance with the above issues. 3/3/2026 17:13:12 Johanna Kellner joeykellner@hotmail.com 1013 5th Ave E. #A. I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I am a Business Owner in the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Power supply, pollution, diminished property values for residents, scale of project, ceasing operations not just fines for noncompliance, "Noise: very strict low noise regulations and monitoring during construction and operations, you can't run power saw before 7am in the city already. The noise will travel up and down the river and lake that is so close, it gets amplified, you can hear things from miles away. People have bought a lot of retirement homes around the lake, to enjoy peace and quiet. Lighting: Nothing brighter than 60W equivalent for lighting. We want to see the stars. Landscaping: extra large setbacks and buffer zones, and heavily lined catch basins in case there is a spill of antifreeze or anything else toxic they might use. 11 Traffic: No construction traffic between 7pm and 7am, and they need to fix the roads they damage right away. Water: Low water consumption only, no private well, public water only, so use can be monitored. Maybe it can come out of the river instead of the aquifer, but that needs to be studied first, if that would have less impact on our water supply. Power: NO private mini nuclear plant, use solar power produced on their property, or a wind generators, pay for their own power, no diesel generators, they are too noisy and pollute the air. Compensation for all property owners in the area, because all property values in and around Menomonie will drop. Only small scale Data Centers, only a small campus. Restricting building size alone is ineffective, there are ways to call them separate buildings, but they are almost attached. Our community needs to keep it's small town charm. If there is any violation of any kind, they need to stop operations, with fines alone they just pay and do what they want. Funds up front, held by the city to restore the site afterwards so it doesn't turn into a polluted waste land. Funds up front to dispose of nuclear waste in case they build a Mini Nuclear power plant. Funds up front for all of us who have to drill new wells because they deplete the water table. Nobody I have talked to, wants a Data Center here! If they build, a lot of people I talked to will sell and leave the are." 3/4/2026 18:11:15 Cynthia Bland blandc@uwstout.edu 1214 6th Avenue East I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Water Usage, Ruining our dark skies; increasing our electric bills I wouldn't want any data center whatsoever, so for me it's not about imposing limits. If they can create a data center that has ZERO lights at night and guarantees are made that they won't ruin our dark skies, then perhaps I'd concede. If they could do a closed system where they aren't taking up massive amounts of water and taking all the energy from our electrical grid, then maybe ... But all the information I've seen confirms that property values in the surrounding areas will plummet, our electrical bills will skyrocket, our dark skies will be ruined, noise during construction will be constant. There's no benefit here for residents. 3/5/2026 11:33:42 Kathleen Dunbar diamond45lp@yahoo.com 502 Evergreen Street, Colfax, WI I live near the City of Menomonie. Water Usage, Electricity Use and pollution I believe that there should be a limit on how much ground water is used, as it does not seem as if the City of Menomonie can supply the necessary water for such a facility. I am worried that the ground water that is more likely to be the source of water for the facility would be used up, causing wells in the area to go dry. Plus I think there should be provisions to restrain the discharge of polluted water into the environment. I am also disappointed that good farm land is being used for this abomination. I also think that a limit would have to be put on to prevent brown outs or outright outages. In all I just think that these facilities should be banned from 12 being built in our area. I think that you all have made a grave error in judgement in letting it get this far. 3/6/2026 12:29:37 Tim Crom tcpmgr@hotmail.com 2332 Sugar Maple Street N.E. Menomonie, WI 54751 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Water Usage, Electrical usage, Isolation of fiber optic traffic "I think that more information has to be gathered and shared withe public. There needs to be a cap that any business can draw off of the electrical grid, no more than another large business such as Anderson Windows Anything over that wattage cap. would have to self supplied by the business through wind or solar farms. Second the water usage has to be self contained with its own internal cleaning methods for that water if needed. If a water source is needed then that supply will have to come through above ground (river/lake) sources and NOT wells for potable water for residents. Third. The fiber planned to supply the data centers should be from the Data Centers own Isolated ISP, and main fiber trunk lines with NO interconnection, points / node or data hub sharing with residential customers as to avoid fiber speeds being slowed (latency) from the Data Centers Fiber/ transmission speeds. https://www.databank.com/resources/blogs/navigating-obstacles-addressing-common-data-cent er-connectivity-challenges-in-the-usa/ https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/blog/communities-are-at-risk-if-we-dont-slow-the -roll-on-data-center-development/" 3/6/2026 14:15:31 Colette & Joe LaBuda colettelabuda@gmail.com 2324 Bundy Lane, Menomonie WI 54751 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Water Usage, electricity use "We are concerned that the potential negative impacts of this data center may outweigh the benefits for our community. In particular, the amount of water required to cool large data centers is troubling. Our area water resources are valuable and used for recreation, tourism, and supporting local ecosystems. This large-scale industrial water use will place unnecessary strain on these resources and impact the natural assets that Menomonie residents enjoy. Noise. Data centers operate continuously and require large cooling systems and backup equipment that run 24/7. Even if individual units are not extremely loud, the constant, ongoing noise can affect nearby residents and take away the quiet, natural environment that is an important part of our area, we live here because we like our quiet community. Lighting. Data centers require exterior lighting for security and operations, which contributes to light pollution. This can affect nearby homes and wildlife. The enormous amount of electricity required to operate a data center is concerning. This will place a significant demand on the electrical grid, which will require additional infrastructure and will ultimately impact local residents through higher costs and/or reduced reliability. Important zoning protections should be in place, including limits on water use, strict noise and lighting standards, buffers and setbacks from homes and recreational areas, and requirements guaranteeing that the data center's electricity demand does not negatively impact local residents. 13 Overall, a data center does not feel like a good fit for our area. Our community values its natural environment, outdoor recreation, and quality of life. The long-term environmental footprint—including water use, energy consumption, noise, lighting, and land use—should be carefully considered before moving forward. The negative impacts seem to outweigh the benefits for our community and the people who live here. " 3/6/2026 19:35:24 April Feinberg aj_whitetig@yahoo.com 307 2nd St W , Menomonie WI 54751 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Water Usage, Electricity usage. The data center will strain the power grid. I have a cousin that is a master electrician. He worked as a project manager for the upgrade to the power plant in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. His name is Ryan Brewer and he works for Van Ert Electric Company out of Eau Claire. Ryan discussed with me the upgrade that they did to the power plant in Eau Claire. He explained that with the size and scope of the plan that he felt that even with the upgrades that the power grid will not be able to sustain the power load that would be required. There are only 2000 electricians there certified to work on power plants in the upper Midwest. Ryan and his crew are in Cedar Rapids Iowa for the next year upgrading the power plant there for the data center that they are building there. There are 12 data centers planned for the Twin Cities area that are going to be on the same power grid as our data center if the power grid collapses there will literally be nobody to fix it. "The water usage should be a recycled system using the Same water and not pulling from the city waterline. They need to pay for their own water usage there there will be no incentives to put the burden of paying for the water on the city residences. There’s also the issue of we cannot take water away from farmers because we need the Crop say grow. We’re not going to have the milk and dairy that we are so known for in this state. City power grid issue cannot be resolved because the current grid cannot sustain the planned projects in the upper Midwest. There are 12 planned data centers within the next two years in the Twin Cities area which is on the same power grid as ours.Until such time that the power plants can be upgraded to sustain the power that is needed to run the data center. Virginia is struggling with this issue. The towns around the data centers in Virginia are having constant brownouts and blackouts because all of the power is going to the data centers especially 300+ acre campus like the one that’s being planned for here. The only thing I can think of is to make it a 70 percentage of electricity come from solar or wind. Because literally as soon as the lights go on, and then this building the lights go out in Menomonie. I would also like them to pay for their own electricity. I don’t want any subsidies on this project. Most of the people in this town cannot afford to pay twice or three times as much a month as they do now. That’s what’s happening in Virginia." 3/7/2026 7:30:40 Dave Henderson djjbdhend@sbcglobal.net N7061 564th St Menomonie,Wi I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Damage to property values near facility, damage to the farming infrastructure. 14 3/7/2026 8:48:03 Cat Henderson kchenderson48@gmail.com E6075 708th Ave, Menomonie, WI 54751 Directly impacted by the location of the proposed data center Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Utility usage, Property devaluation for nearby houses, contribute to local economy with hiring local contractors and ongoing employments and shopping local where possible, Hours of operation for all construction "Noise - I've read DC noise is constant and enough to rattle windows in nearby homes, it can create issues with anxiety and trouble sleeping etc, even when it is within a typical acceptable range. You need to get input from other communities who are already suffering with the noise on what an acceptable level is and set the range as if YOU lived in the impact area. Implement an online noise monitoring system alerting the city contact responsible for enforcement of the zoning and impose fines. Lighting - We currently have beautiful night skies in the area and can see the northern lights. The building lights need to be low and pointed downward to minimize light pollution to animals and neighbors. PLEASE NO 24x7 flashing neon signs!! Traffic - Please minimize all traffic including construction traffic from the residential area of 690th Ave. Hwy B is very busy, I think the 650th Ave would deal best with the additional traffic. Building Height – Again the directly impacted neighbors all currently live in a beautiful country setting which we hate to lose, especially when we will be losing on so many levels. There is no upside for us. I think the building should be no more than 2 stories high. Landscaping – It needs to be well maintained to not create an eyesore. Water Usage – There needs to be a monitoring system in place to ensure water usage does not exceed the proposed amount the city agrees they can support and enforcement with fines. It is easy to do a low projection to get approval and then say ooops, sorry. Other – Utility usage – it is a cop out by the city to say this is outside of your purview. It could directly and negatively impact the entire city and township if Xcel doesn’t have the right agreement in place to ensure the additional capacity is funded only by the data center. Many communities have seen their household utility costs go up when a data center has come to town. You can do better. Other – Property devaluation for nearby homes – technically none of the homes are within the city limits but we are directly impacted by your decisions. The township and the city should work together to minimize the negative property impacts. I’d like to see a substantial and permanent reduction in property taxes for the homes on 690th and 708th, the city could replace the revenue to the township since this is going to be “such a great income opportunity to the city.” Other – Contribute to local economy – include a requirement for during construction and ongoing operations where they need to prove they bought and hired local for XX%. The demolition company I heard was from MI? Numerous items could have been reused or recycled locally but they gave no consideration to it at all. Other – Hours of operation during construction – initial and ongoing – I don’t think construction should be done outside of 8am – 6pm on weekdays, 10am – 6pm on weekends. Construction involves exceptional noise with big trucks, pounding, loud motors, truck backup beeping, dust etc. Please again place yourself in our shoes when making decisions. 15 Thank for the opportunity to provide input. I hope you consider these items as if it was happening in YOUR backyard. " 3/7/2026 11:18:53 Rachel Tilseth rachelwt72@gmail.com 921 22nd Ave. NE #310 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Data center pays for their infastructure costs I strongly urge that the city council form a committee to do this vital work to stop the data center. 3/7/2026 13:17:34 Patrick B Andraska patandraska@gmail.com N7901 770th Street Colfax Wisconsin I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Water pollution that could contaminate the Aquifers that supply our water. "All of the provisions that were presented and signed by are residents on Feb. 15th, 2026." 3/7/2026 13:32:40 Patti L Andraska patandraska@gmail.com N7901 770th St, Colfax WI. 54730 I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, I would like to see noise limits, including time of day restrictions, and also limited excessive lighting surrounding the proposed site. Traffic at the area should be monitored and restricted to reasonable time of day limits, and damage incurred to roads repaired at data center expense. Building height and surrounding landscaping should be addressed in an effort to not detract from the natural surroundings of the area. Access to required water must not interfere with standing aquifers and bodies of water that supply local families and farms. In conclusion, city staff and council members are urged to prioritize the 42 provisions compiled and signed by area residents on 2/15/26. 3/7/2026 13:34:44 Jody Henderson jlhend5@gmail.com N7061 - 564th Street, Menomonie, WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Landscaping, Water Usage, Electricity Cost/Use, Property Value of housing in area "Noise and Lighting need to be kept to a minimum for residents nearby. Both of these aspects are going to have negative impact for residents living close to this plot of land for the data center. Traffic of extra vehicles will have a negative impact on roads and costs to the county and townships directly related to this property. The county and the townships cannot afford these costs as their budgets have only a certain amount already stretched to the limit. The Data Building can also have a negative landscaping impact due to the open farmland/fields surrounding it. I would like to see it remain more farmland and open spaces to keep wildlife and trees in the area, as living in the country (not a city) should be. I feel that the data center will also put a high demand on both water and electricity in an area that will not be able to support it without a huge increase in the cost of these resources. It will 16 also have a detrimental impact on the water table (irrigation at high levels already in area) and more demand on the power grid for this area. For the residents who live nearby, it will decrease the values of homes and land surrounding the data center parcel. This data center is not bringing in many jobs or positive aspects for this current location and therefore I don't believe the zoning should be changed to allow its construction at this time." 3/7/2026 14:49:14 Ann Kohanek akohanek1004@gmail.com 420 Heller Road I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage Utility usage and cost responsibility; long term effect on the environment. A number of ideas for ordinances to address data center concerns were developed by a local group. I sincerely hope that the Menomonie City Council will thoroughly review and give credence to them. 3/7/2026 16:06:37 Deanna Shane shandee101@hotmail.com N7038 740th St, Menomonie, WI I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Please use the Community Resolutions as a resource in making these decisions. I urge the city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions outlined in the Community Resolution that has been signed by hundreds of area residents. It represents the shared thoughts and concerns of 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen led town hall on February 15, 2026. 3/7/2026 16:47:42 Beth Kilby bessie4jc@pm.me 480th St. Menomonie I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. do away with the Data Center I-4 zoning - it won't restrict anything The effort in obtaining signatures on restrictions/regulations on the I-4 data center rezone lacks foresight. No data center will abide by any rules. I did not sign the resolution. Menomonie is too small a community to regulate big tech. Once they get their foot in the door, it's game over. This should be blatantly obvious. 3/8/2026 11:54:28 Jennifer Wander Jennywander3@att.net N6977 564TH St. Menomonie WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Increased electric bills, decreased property values, other environmental concerns. I want the city council to do what it needs to do to make sure that a data center will not be allowed to be built anywhere in our area. 3/8/2026 20:49:26 Michael White gysgtwhite1@gmail.com E6502 690th Ave Menomonie WI I live near the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Please use the Community Resolution's as a resource in making these decisions. I urge the city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions 17 outlined in the Community Resolution that has been signed by hundreds of area residents. It represents the shared thought and concern of 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen Led Town Hall on February 15, 2026. 3/8/2026 20:57:28 val waters nashvall7@gmail.com E6778 870th ave colfax wi 54730 town of tainter, on lake tainter; drive by the land being rezoned on B regularly to reach I94 Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Water Usage, electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) "electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) involved in the maintenance of the digital data need to be restricted. the emanations detrimentally affect our physical health causing cognitive as well as effecting our immune systems. headaches, vision, hearing..Recommend a risk assessment for hyper data centers by a professional company like IAQ-EMF consulting Inc. noise: should have definite limits that are safe for no damage to human hearing, that create normal peace, healthy living, good sleep. lighting should not keep neighbors awake, nor should noise. traffic patterns will change with such usage of land and must be well planned for. Wisconsin's water is mostly healthy, and regular testing and planning should be regulated and maintained as both closed loop and other systems still affect water quality in the neighboring lands." 3/8/2026 21:03:33 Jessica White jessrs200@gmail.com E6502 690th Ave. Menomonie, WI 54751 I live near the City of Menomonie., I live on 690th Ave in Red Cedar. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Housing Protection "Housing Protection: I live off 690th ave and am very concerned about the data center being built within approximately 1 mile of my property. We will see this from our home windows everyday and will be very affected by every negative aspect it brings. My biggest concern is that home values on our street will fall and that should we want to move, whether due to the data center/change of job/retirement/etc, we would not ever be able to do so as we would not be able to sell our home at the cost we owe. I do not want to be forced to live here forever or choose foreclosure, which would take 7 years to overcome. I would like to see home protections built in - specifically that a data center will match the market value of our home if we ever choose to sell. Homes within a certain distance, and all those on 690th should be guaranteed this! Other Concerns: I was part of the community meeting that worked together to write provisions that we would like to see for the I4 zone. I urge the city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions outlined in the Community Resolution as it represents the shared thought and concern of myself and 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen Led Town Hall on February 15, 2026, and has been signed by hundreds of area residents backing it." 3/9/2026 8:14:18 Holly Powell holly.s.powell@gmail.com 3551 Sharon Drive, Eau Claire WI 54701 I live near the City of Menomonie., I live in Eau Claire, WI Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, Studies for job related 18 gains/losses due to any proposed data center. "I urge the city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions outlined in the Community Resolution that has been signed by hundreds of area residents. It represents the shared thoughts and concerns of 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen Led Town Hall on February 15, 2026. I also see data center construction not only affecting the city of Menomonie but also affecting the resources and environment and job situation for people in the state of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Our water bodies and energy systems are closely connected. Thank you!" 3/9/2026 10:34:15 Kim Blue contact.kim.blue@gmail.com 1715 2nd St E, Menomonie WI 54751 I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie., I am a Business Owner in the City of Menomonie., I work in the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage I urge city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions outlined in the Community Resolution that has been signed by hundreds of area residents. It represents the shared thought and concern of 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen Led Town Hall on February 15, 2026. 3/9/2026 10:55:31 Amy J Eitrheim abejaybe@gmail.com 2711 Cherry Blossom Lane I am a Resident of the City of Menomonie. Noise, Lighting, Traffic, Building Height, Landscaping, Water Usage, pollution of water, air, ground; increased utility use and burdens on area residents "I urge the city staff and council to prioritize the 42 provisions outlined in the Community Resolution that has been signed by hundreds of area residents. It represents the shared thought and concern of 100+ individuals who attended the Citizen Led Town Hall on February 15, 2026." 19