Janesville WI city 12-month data center moratorium (2026)
Janesville, WI (City) — City Council Unanimously Adopts a 12-Month Data Center Moratorium Covering Rezonings, Permits and Annexations (September 2026)
Janesville, WI · City of Janesville, WI data center moratorium ordinance (adopted Sept. 28, 2026)
- Status
- Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Applies to
- Data center developers and applicants in the City of Janesville
- Enforced by
- City of Janesville (Community Development / Plan Commission)
The Janesville City Council voted unanimously on September 28, 2026 to pause data center development for 12 months. During the pause the city will not accept, process, review or approve data center applications, including rezonings, permits and annexations, while it writes zoning rules for data centers. City staff also may not solicit data center projects or sign nondisclosure agreements about them during the pause. This is the City of Janesville, separate from the Town of Janesville, which has its own moratorium.
Who is protected: City of Janesville residents
Legal detail
City of Janesville (Rock County, WI) ordinance — 12-month moratorium on accepting, processing, reviewing and approving applications related to data center development (rezonings, permits, annexation actions, other development approvals). Adopted unanimously Monday Sept. 28, 2026 (GazetteXtra, Channel 3000, Big Radio). Per the pre-vote GazetteXtra preview (Sept. 25): if approved it takes effect following publication and remains for 12 months unless amended/rescinded; council may extend; staff will not actively solicit/encourage data center development or enter NDAs related to it; work at existing qualifying data facilities allowed within thresholds (structural repairs, limited alterations, equipment upgrades); ordinance states it is not a 'development moratorium' under state statute. Erdman amendment removed three recitals (GM/JATCO site, November referendum, advisory board). Same night, council approved referendum language on voter final approval of large-scale development at the former GM/JATCO site (Channel 3000). NOT ESTABLISHED: exact vote tally (reported only as unanimous), publication/effective date (so expires_date null), ordinance number. Distinct from Town of Janesville WI data center moratorium (2026).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Janesville, WI |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 28, 2026 |
| Citation | City of Janesville, WI data center moratorium ordinance (adopted Sept. 28, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · government use of AI · AI disclosure and transparency |
| News report | Janesville city council approves 12-month pause for data centers — GazetteXtra |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.