Detroit council member seeks 18-month pause on data center permits: 'There are no protections in place'
Detroit Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero is seeking an 18-month interim zoning moratorium on permits for new enterprise AI data centers while the city develops permanent regulations. The proposal’s legal path and council support remain uncertain, while the mayor has not acted on an earlier request for a broader moratorium.
Detroit Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero directed the City Council’s legal division to draft an interim zoning moratorium pausing permits for new enterprise AI data centers. She said the proposed 18-month pause, which could run through March 17, 2028, would provide time for the city to adopt permanent data center regulations and address infrastructure and environmental concerns.
The proposal follows a spring council resolution urging Mayor Mary Sheffield and city departments to stop issuing new data center permits. Sheffield has not formally approved a moratorium, although a city planning analysis said permitting for new principal-use data centers had effectively been paused while the issue is under review. The City Planning Commission is separately developing a data center zoning ordinance, with Council Member Scott Benson supporting rules intended to protect residents and withstand potential legal challenges.
Council members have also raised concerns about data centers’ water consumption, effects on treatment infrastructure and potential harm to aquatic life. Santiago-Romero acknowledged that the council may lack authority to impose a moratorium and said many members favor completing the broader zoning amendment instead of pursuing her separate ordinance proposal.