JANESVILLE — The Janesville City Council on Monday approved by a 5-2 vote a non-binding letter of intent with a developer who proposes bringing a data center to the city.
Council members Erdman and Miller voted no.
The letter of intent lays out what developer Veridian Partners needs to learn before entering into a more formal developers agreement. (Read the letter of intent here)
Community members gathered outside the Woodman’s Center prior to the meeting to express their opposition to the project.
Inside, there was a lenghthy public comment period prior to discussion of the letter of intent.
(Read full data center coverage here)
The letter of intent is for a proposal from Veridian Partners to build a data center on the now empty site of the former GM Janesville Assembly Plant on the city’s south side that closed in 2008.
Data centers are expanding rapidly across the country as demand for AI and cloud computing booms.
Residents, along with a grass-roots group No Janesville Data Center have expressed concern about water usage, affect on utility bills, property values, noise pollution and long-term job prospects.
The city has prepared its own initial data center insights at janesvillewi.gov/insights in response.
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