Lincoln Township places moratorium on data centers
Lincoln Township trustees have enacted a 10-month moratorium on data center development to allow a planning commission subcommittee to research and recommend potential ordinances. This decision follows ongoing concerns in nearby Dowagiac regarding noise from an existing Hyperscale Data Inc. facility, which has led to a class-action lawsuit from residents. The township aims to control where data centers might be located due to potential impacts on electrical and water consumption, noise, and community character.
Lincoln Township trustees have unanimously enacted a 10-month moratorium on new data center developments. The decision, led by Trustee Marc Florian, aims to provide a subcommittee of the planning commission sufficient time to research and formulate recommendations for a potential ordinance regulating data centers within the township.
Trustee Florian highlighted common concerns associated with data centers, including substantial impacts on electrical and water consumption, noise, vibration, and changes to community character. While stating that Lincoln Township is not necessarily opposed to data centers, Florian emphasized the desire to control their placement.
Trustee Dick Stauffer referenced ongoing issues in Dowagiac, Michigan, where Hyperscale Data Inc. operates an AI data center. Residents in Dowagiac have expressed significant concerns about noise from Hyperscale's facility, especially following reports of the company's plans to acquire additional land for expansion. This has escalated to residents filing a class-action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, alleging noise impacts on approximately 1,300 residential properties and demanding transparency.