Neighbors Oppose 24-Hour Data Center Work In Port Washington

This is an aerial rendering of what the planned data center campus in Port Washington could look like. Source: City of Port Washington

Dozens of people living near the construction site of a new data center in Port Washington are petitioning the city to limit the round-the-clock work happening near their homes.

Construction on the Vantage Data Centers Lighthouse Campus was originally limited to a 12-hour period, but the city later approved 24-hour construction on weekdays. And those living nearby are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lights, noises, traffic, emissions and dust being produced.

“We call our neighborhood the land of the midnight sun now because the hundreds of extremely bright work lights that they have shine in our windows 24 hours a day,” said Kim Tydrick, who lives under a mile from the construction site. “We (also) have incessant backup beeping, which we were assured we would never hear by the mayor of Port Washington.”

When reached for comment, Vantage apologized for any work that was disturbing the community and said they are committed to complying with permits and being “a good and responsive neighbor.”

“We have and will be consistently monitoring the site activities to ensure we remain within the sound limits allowed under our permit with the understanding that any further measures we can take to alleviate certain sounds will be considered,” a representative for Vantage Data Centers wrote in a statement. “The team is prioritizing identifying any and all non-shielded lights onsite and working with the general contractors to have those corrected.”

Last week, residents presented a letter to both the city’s Common Council and the Port Washington Town Board requesting that the city go back to enforcing the old hours by mid-March. It was signed by 100 people, according to the Ozaukee Press.

Attorney and Port Washington resident Kirk Deheck authored that letter. He said the people he talked with about the issue were frustrated by how leadership was responding to their concerns.

“I was surprised by the thanks I got from everybody I stopped and talked to (for) being somebody that was interested in doing anything to get a resolution or mitigation out of leadership in the city or the town of Port Washington,” Deheck told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.”

Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke said the new work hours are necessary to help get the project back on track after delays.

“The city of Port Washington would like this project to close as fast as possible,” Neitzke said. “It positions the city to begin to increase the value and tax that property. So any length of time extended on the project would be to the detriment of our local community and taxpayers.”

But Tydrick said she won’t see any of those benefits as someone who lives in the town. Last year, the city of Port Washington annexed land from the town — which surrounds the city — for the new data center.

Deheck said without the town having authority over that land,  people living near the construction site are struggling to have their voices heard.

“As a town resident, my recourse is my elected officials,” Deheck said. “Any remarks we present at a city council meeting are noted in the minutes as non-resident comments regarding opposition to the data center.”

Neitzke said he has “great empathy” for citizens’ concerns and that the city is taking them seriously.

“We’ve asked them to address as quickly as possible, and we are currently reviewing whether or not we’re going to allow that 24 hours through the end of May, which was their request,” Neitzke said. “We’re working with the company to determine what the consequences of us cutting off that 24 hours a day are.”

The Port Washington Planning Commission is set to take up that issue next week.

Listen to the WPR report

Frustration grows over 24-hour data center construction in Port Washington was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.