Wixom residents to weigh in on data center ordinance as city council meets Tuesday night
Wixom residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback to the city council regarding a proposed ordinance amendment designed to regulate data centers. Concurrently, the council is considering lifting an existing six-month moratorium on data center development, initially enacted in March, as Wixom Industrial One and Sansone propose building a large data center. Residents have expressed significant concerns over noise, water, and electricity usage.
Wixom, Michigan, residents are slated to address the city council on Tuesday evening regarding a proposed ordinance amendment aimed at regulating future data center developments. The council is simultaneously considering lifting a six-month moratorium on data centers, which was initially imposed in March to allow the planning commission to draft specific legislation. This discussion comes as Wixom Industrial One, in partnership with Sansone, has proposed constructing a data center spanning over 500,000 square feet along Wixom Road.
Wixom City Manager Steven Brown confirmed that the public would have an opportunity to comment on the ordinance amendment, which is expected to address concerns such as noise, proximity to residential areas, and the environmental impact of water and electricity usage. Residents like Abigail Saliba and Steve Murphy voiced strong opposition, citing worries about resource consumption, low employment numbers, and potential requests for tax breaks. Murphy, drawing parallels to a controversial data center in Saline Township, expressed fears that the project could be a "disaster" for Wixom, while another resident, David Pierce, suggested such facilities should be built in areas with more space, like Arizona or California. One unnamed resident, however, supported the project, anticipating job creation.