More than 100 people packed a Brown County Planning, Development and Transportation Committee meeting Tuesday night to voice concerns and objections to data center development in their community, only to learn the county lacks t he legal authority to do what many were asking.Committee members made their position clear from the start, citing state law as the barrier."Chapter 59 says, counties can't enact a development moratorium," David Hemery, the Brown County Corporation Counsel said.Watch the full broadcast story here: Data centers draw packed crowd to Brown County committee meeting as moratorium push hits legal wall"We don't have county-wide zoning, without county-wide zoning you can't enact any county moratorium," Hemery said.Wisconsin counties only have the powers granted to them by the state, and committee members said they legally could not pass a moratorium on anything.Committee member Dan Theno addressed the crowd directly."We've heard from our corporate counsel, this body, Brown County, does not have the statutory authority to do what you are suggesting. Our villages, cities and towns do have the authority," Theno said.Despite that, dozens of residents still stepped up to speak."We should be looking for excuses to get things done, not excused not to do things," one speaker said.Residents urged the board to take some form of action, with concerns centering on water resources."We are terrified because once you lose fresh water as a resource, you don't get it back," one speaker said.Public comment grew heated at times, with outbursts from the crowd.Brown County Supervisor Christopher Welch, who brought the moratorium idea to the committee, pressed for alternatives."What options can we explore here as a county?" Welch asked the committee.Ultimately, committee members and Welch agreed to form a small working group made up of Welch, Theno and Jim Pyle. The group will reach out individually to villages, cities and towns the municipalities that do have the authority to pass moratoriums to hear their needs and explore how county leaders can help.The outcome left many in the crowd unsatisfied.The informal group tentatively agreed to report back to the Planning, Development and Transportation Committee at their next meeting. ...read more read less