East Lansing extends data center moratorium as it plans zoning changes
East Lansing City Council extended its moratorium on data center proposals by six months until March, allowing city staff to draft stricter zoning changes. Mayor Erik Altmann stated the city aims to proactively implement tough regulations to prevent community backlash seen in nearby Mason, where residents opposed initial lenient data center ordinances. Proposed zoning changes are expected by October.
The East Lansing City Council has voted to extend its moratorium on data center proposals for an additional six months, pushing the pause until March. This extension grants city staff more time to research and develop stricter zoning ordinances specifically tailored for data center developments. East Lansing Mayor Erik Altmann stated the city's intention to learn from the experiences of nearby communities, such as Mason, which faced significant public backlash and citizen petitions against its initial, more permissive data center regulations.
Mayor Altmann emphasized the importance of implementing robust zoning requirements from the outset to protect public health and safety, citing concerns about potential aquifer pollution and making neighboring areas 'unlivable.' While he expressed a personal disinterest in attracting data centers, Altmann acknowledged that state law prevents exclusionary zoning. City Councilmember Kerry Ebersole Singh, however, has highlighted the potential economic benefits data center developments could offer.
City staff are slated to introduce the proposed zoning changes by October, which will then undergo review by the city's planning commission before returning to the City Council for final approval. Currently, no data center developments have been proposed in East Lansing.