Milldam News

Zoning In

Zoning In

This week’s Zoning In tracks a surge of new data center proposals—and growing resistance—stretching from Texas and Georgia to Wisconsin, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and beyond. Communities are raising alarms over water consumption, grid strain, noise, and transparency, prompting local officials to consider moratoria, tighten zoning rules, and even rescind prior approvals. At the same time, states like Missouri and Pennsylvania grapple with shielding ratepayers from rising energy costs while attracting billions in AI-driven investment. […]

Read More

Adam Waitkunas Joins Data Center Richness Podcast to Discuss Data Center Community Engagement and Zoning In

Adam Waitkunas Joins Data Center Richness Podcast to Discuss Data Center Community Engagement and Zoning In

Milldam Public Relations President Adam Waitkunas recently joined The Data Center Richness Podcast to discuss Zoning In and one of the industry’s most pressing issues today: the growing wave of community pushback around data centers. In the episode, Adam and host Rich explore why controversies around new data center campuses are accelerating, the local concerns driving this opposition, and how developers can proactively engage with communities to build trust and reshape the narrative. As AI-driven […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

Policy guardrails and public pushback continue to shape where — and whether — data centers get built. This week saw multiple counties and cities consider moratoria or new zoning rules, as residents across the country rally against proposals over their water, energy, and environmental impacts. Meanwhile, developers and economic development boards argue data centers are vital tax generators that can offset residential burdens, even as local leaders seek stronger siting controls and transparency. Prince William […]

Read More

Bisnow Talks to Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas About The Bipartisan Opposition to Data Centers and The New Challenges for Developers

Bisnow Talks to Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas About The Bipartisan Opposition to Data Centers and The New Challenges for Developers

Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas was recently featured in Bisnow on the rise of bipartisan resistance to Data Center Development. As Adam noted, “untraditional alignments” are forming across the political spectrum, with local communities uniting around shared concerns such as water, diesel emissions, noise, and rural character. While the data center industry has long been accustomed to addressing regulatory hurdles and policy approvals, the current wave of opposition is being driven by something more difficult to navigate: […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

This week’s lead story: St. Charles, Missouri, has become the first U.S. city to enact a citywide moratorium on data centers. The one-year ban underscores a growing wave of data center community resistance that has already stalled or stopped more than $64 billion in projects across 24 states. At the same time, in Arizona, Project Blue has resurfaced — Beale Infrastructure is pressing ahead in Pima County even after Tucson blocked water access and residents […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

This week’s Zoning In highlights how community opposition is evolving from town halls to the ballot box. In Georgia, a newly formed Political Action Committee is targeting pro–data center commissioners, signaling that opposition groups are sharpening their tools to influence not just projects, but politics itself. Across the country, we also saw projects delayed, withdrawn, or re-zoned amid protests in Virginia, Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, and Missouri. Meanwhile, watchdogs and regulators are weighing in on the […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

In a significant win for public opposition, the Tucson City Council unanimously killed Project Blue, a massive data center proposal shrouded in secrecy and dogged by environmental concerns. Despite efforts to rebrand the project as a responsible corporate neighbor, the community pushed back hard—and won. Tucson is now preparing new zoning regulations specifically targeting data center development. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, the late Dale Earnhardt’s widow, Teresa Earnhardt, has found herself in a different kind […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

From Virginia to Alabama to Delaware, opposition is forcing changes — and sometimes outright cancellations — of major projects. This week’s Zoning In tracks efforts by local leaders, legislators, and residents to demand more transparency, limit environmental impacts, and rewrite zoning codes. Whether it’s grassroots victories in Pittsylvania County or looming policy shifts in Nevada and Maryland, the message is clear: communities want a seat at the table. Massive Virginia data center development drives debate […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

As temperatures continue to rise, so does the scrutiny surrounding the energy, water, and regulatory impacts of data center growth across North America. From Virginia’s AI-fueled power crunch to a proposed megacenter in Delaware that would consume nearly twice the electricity of all the state’s homes, this week’s Zoning In dives into a wave of resistance, policy shifts, and big-picture questions. With moratoriums mounting, nuclear reactors gaining traction, and transparency being tested, the data center […]

Read More

Zoning In

Zoning In

This week’s Zoning In highlights mounting community pushback from Alabama to Virginia, evolving state-level incentive policies, and renewed scrutiny on utility tariffs and water usage. Meanwhile, some jurisdictions—like Tucson and Janesville—are embracing digital infrastructure as a catalyst for long-term growth. From postponed billion-dollar votes and well water disputes to thoughtful strategies for building trust with communities, this week’s headlines capture the high stakes and growing pains of hyperscale expansion.  Janesville Eyes Data Centers to Revitalize […]

Read More