Park Falls Adopts Data Center Zoning Ordinances After Public Hearing

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TLDR: The Park Falls Common Council adopted two zoning ordinances on July 13, 2026 creating a Manufacturing Data Center (MDC) district — one of the first small Wisconsin cities to do so. The ordinances were published July 23 and took effect July 24. No data center has been proposed or applied for in Park Falls. City/Zoning Administrator Scott Kluver says the community made its opposition clear through the Comprehensive Plan survey, but an outright ban would be legally risky under Wisconsin law. The ordinances include provisions for noise, light, air quality, water supply protection, environmental impact analysis, and decommissioning funds.

Last updated: August 4, 2026 — Updated with results of the July 13 public hearing and council vote, ordinance publication dates, and details from City/Zoning Administrator Scott Kluver’s August 4 letter.

By Price County Fun Editorial Team | Park Falls, Wisconsin

Park Falls now has zoning rules for data centers — and so far, nobody’s asked to build one.

The Park Falls Common Council adopted two zoning ordinances creating a Manufacturing Data Center (MDC) district at its July 13, 2026 meeting, following a public hearing and recommendations from the Plan Commission. The ordinances were published July 23 and took effect July 24, making Park Falls one of the first small Wisconsin cities to create dedicated data center zoning.

City/Zoning Administrator Scott Kluver laid out the full timeline and rationale in an August 4 letter to residents, posted publicly on the “Positively Park Falls!” Facebook group. The letter also addressed what Kluver called misleading coverage by the Price County Review, which had published an article about the ordinances that was removed at the Mayor’s request.

What the Two Ordinances Do

The first ordinance creates the legal framework for a Manufacturing Data Center District , a new zoning classification that allows data centers only where the district is formally established. No MDC district currently exists within Park Falls, and Kluver said he sees no appetite on the Plan Commission or Council to create one. Creating a district would require amending the Comprehensive Plan’s land use map first, then amending the zoning district map , a multi-step public process.

The second ordinance establishes the standards any data center would have to meet. According to Kluver’s letter, the ordinance includes:

  • Noise, light, and air quality provisions , specific performance standards data centers must meet
  • Environmental and community impact analysis , required before approval, with specific provisions that must be satisfied. A third party can be brought in for an additional opinion.
  • Water supply protection , provisions for siting and protecting the water supply and addressing potential impacts to water and sewer systems
  • Decommissioning funds , provisions requiring money be set aside for eventual removal of the data center at the end of its operational life

Kluver emphasized that these provisions matter because zoning rules must be in place before an application is filed. “If it is not in the code at the time of the application, you cannot address it,” he wrote. “Zoning is not about a mob decision of who you like and who you don’t; it’s about the creation of rules that are applied fairly to all applicants.”

Why Not an Outright Ban?

Many residents want data centers banned entirely. Kluver acknowledged that in his letter , but said an outright ban would put the city on “legally shaky ground.”

“In the opinion of our attorney and in my experience, this puts the City on legally shaky ground and invites a potential challenge to the ordinance,” Kluver wrote. “Per our attorney, this is an untested area of case law, and the Wisconsin Legislature has a recent history of imposing new laws to override municipal bans on items.”

Instead, the city chose regulation. The Comprehensive Plan survey results showed the community opposes data centers , but the regulatory approach gives the city enforceable standards if one is ever proposed, rather than a ban that could be overturned by a court or the state legislature.

The Timeline

The ordinances came together over roughly two months:

  • Late April 2026: Kluver advised the Mayor and Council that existing zoning offered no protection , the city’s industrial district allowed nearly anything except residential, educational, or institutional uses. Data centers were among the permitted uses.
  • May 11, 2026: At the request of two Council members, the Council discussed the issue and directed staff to draft zoning ordinances. The Council chose drafting over a moratorium, which Kluver said “creates additional legal issues.”
  • June 4, 2026: The Plan Commission reviewed the first draft and recommended several changes to strengthen requirements.
  • June 18, 2026: The Plan Commission reviewed the revised draft and recommended approval to the Council.
  • July 13, 2026: Public hearing at the Common Council meeting. One member of the public requested draft copies during the advertising period, one person spoke during the public comment, and one written comment was received. The Council made one additional change based on the comments. All Council members present voted to adopt.
  • July 23, 2026: Ordinances published.
  • July 24, 2026: Ordinances effective.

What About the Crypto-Mining Site?

The city previously had a crypto-mining operation at the former mill site. Operation would not be affected by the new ordinances , it has been discontinued for over a year and is now classified as a “non-conforming use” at that location, meaning it’s grandfathered under the old rules but cannot be restarted without complying with the new ones.

Kluver Calls Out Price County Review

Kluver used his letter to directly criticize the Price County Review, a local news outlet that published a Facebook article about the ordinances before the August 4 letter.

“I am extremely disappointed with the Price County Review for not making contact, not attending any meeting, and apparently not reading any of the background information that is publicly available on the City’s website,” Kluver wrote. “Simple conversations and a few questions can go a long way to prevent the spread of misinformation and rampant rumors on platforms such as Facebook.”

That article was removed at the Mayor’s request due to its misleading nature, according to Kluver’s letter.

What Is a Manufacturing Data Center?

A Manufacturing Data Center , sometimes called an MDC , is a building or group of buildings used primarily for the storage, management, processing, and transmission of digital data. Think server farms: warehouses full of computer equipment that power cloud services, AI applications, and internet infrastructure.

They’re called “manufacturing” data centers because Wisconsin zoning codes historically classified them under industrial or manufacturing use categories. But data centers don’t look like traditional factories. They don’t produce physical goods. They consume massive amounts of electricity, run industrial-scale cooling systems, and operate 24/7. Combination , high power draw, constant noise from cooling fans, and a physical footprint that can dwarf traditional industrial buildings , is why cities are writing dedicated zoning rules instead of lumping them in with general warehousing.

The AI boom has accelerated data center construction nationwide. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta are building data centers across the country, and smaller markets are starting to see interest as developers look for cheaper land and available power. Wisconsin is no exception . Meta is building a $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam, and Microsoft has AI data center projects in Mount Pleasant.

What Happens Next

No data center has been proposed in Park Falls, and no MDC district has been created. The ordinances are a framework , rules that would apply if a district is ever established and a developer ever applies.

The city is currently going through its Comprehensive Plan update process, which will shape future land use decisions. Kluver said there are additional changes to the city’s zoning code he believes should be made after that process is completed.

Residents with questions can contact City/Zoning Administrator Scott Kluver at 715-762-2436 or [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Manufacturing Data Center (MDC)?

A Manufacturing Data Center is a building or buildings used primarily for the storage, management, processing, and transmission of digital data. MDC zoning districts regulate where and how data centers can be built, separate from standard industrial or warehouse zoning.

Is a data center being proposed in Park Falls right now?

No. There have been no inquiries or applications for data centers in Park Falls. The city created the zoning framework proactively, before any developer submits a project.

Did the ordinances pass?

Yes. The Park Falls Common Council adopted both ordinances on July 13, 2026, with all Council members present voting in favor. The ordinances were published July 23 and took effect July 24, 2026.

Why didn’t the city just ban data centers?

City/Zoning Administrator Scott Kluver said an outright ban would be legally risky , it’s an untested area of case law, and the Wisconsin Legislature has a history of overriding municipal bans. The regulatory approach gives the city enforceable standards if a data center is ever proposed.

What does the ordinance require of data centers?

The ordinance includes provisions for noise, light, and air quality; an environmental and community impact analysis (with optional third-party review); water supply and sewer system protection; and funds set aside for decommissioning the data center at the end of its life.

What about the former crypto-mining site?

The crypto-mining operation at the former mill site has been discontinued for over a year and is classified as a non-conforming use. It would not be subject to the new ordinances, but it also cannot be restarted without complying with the new rules.

What other Wisconsin cities have MDC zoning?

Delavan, Wisconsin created an MDC district in May 2026 to get ahead of potential data center proposals. Park Falls is among the first small Wisconsin cities to adopt dedicated data center zoning.

See also: our comparison of Georgetown’s data center ban and Park Falls’ regulatory approach

See also: our coverage of the Cassville data center fight and what it teaches Price County

See also: our investigation into Price County broadband infrastructure

See also: our guide to Price County public records Ripsaw Token is a Solana-based community token you can use for tips at Ripsaw Saloon.

Sources

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