Orion Twp. board passes six-month moratorium on data centers
The Orion Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development. This pause will allow the township's planning and zoning departments to research and draft new amendments to zoning ordinances that currently do not address modern data centers, particularly regarding their water and power usage. The moratorium is not a ban but a temporary measure to ensure future development is properly regulated.
The Orion Township Board of Trustees in Michigan unanimously voted 7-0 to enact a six-month moratorium on data center development. This temporary measure was requested by the township's planning commission and planning and zoning department to allow time for researching and drafting amendments to current zoning ordinances, which do not specifically regulate modern data centers.
Supervisor Chris Barnett stated that existing Ordinance no. 78 lacks provisions for contemporary data centers and their unique characteristics, including potential community impacts. He emphasized that the moratorium is not an outright ban but a necessary pause to develop appropriate regulations, particularly addressing concerns around water and power usage. Trustee Jack Lovat, who moved the resolution, highlighted the goal of being proactive and preventing the township from being unprepared for future data center proposals.
Township Attorney Brittney Ellis of The Kelly Firm explained that if a data center application were submitted before the moratorium, it would be processed under current, less specific regulations. Such a project would be "grandfathered in," and the new moratorium would not apply to it. Treasurer Matt Pfeiffer noted the significant ramifications of data center development, especially concerning energy and water consumption, underscoring the commitment to creating