PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — The City of Port Washington Planning Commission unanimously approved a motion Thursday to end 24-hour outdoor construction at the Vantage data center following months of complaints from neighbors about noise and light.
The new rules limit exterior construction to between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, restrict Sunday work to a max of one Sunday a month, and limit lighting to necessary security lighting after 8:30 p.m.
However, the rules do not go into effect until April 18 and will not affect interior construction, once the buildings are fully enclosed and approved by the City Engineer.
Port Washington mayor Ted Neitzke introduced the motion and said the one-month delay before the rules take effect is to give the developer, Vantage, time to wind down and adjust worker schedules.
Motion to Amend Data Center Construction Hours by TMJ4 News
Vantage said in a statement that they are committed to balancing their schedule with the needs of the community.
TMJ4 has been covering the stories of people affected by the traffic, sound, and light coming from this complex for months, including touring the facility.
Watch: 24-hour construction at the Port Washington data center is set to end in April; neighbors say the new city rules don't go far enough
Kirk Deheck lives about a half-mile from the construction site. He says the new rules do not go far enough to restrict interior construction and should take place now, not a month from now.
"Full nights of sleep have been few and far between," Deheck said. "All night. Every night."
Other neighbors have a different perspective. Eric Rathgeber lives just north of the site and is one of several neighbors who sold their homes and are moving out to make way for the project.
"We hear a little bit of the trucks sometimes, when the wind is coming off the lake, but it's not a big deal," Rathgeber said. "They can do whatever they want. It's up to them. It's their schedule... In the end, this will probably be a positive thing for the town and the city."
Vantage Data Centers is working in close partnership with the city as we review and determine future construction hours for our Lighthouse campus. Our top priorities are keeping the project on track, maintaining a safe environment for everyone onsite and being mindful of the needs of the surrounding community. We’re confident that through this ongoing collaboration, we’ll reach a solution that serves the interests of all stakeholders and supports the success of the project.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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