Data Center Moratorium Adopted

The Pere Marquette Township Board officially adopted two ordinances on August 11, imposing a one-year temporary moratorium on data center facilities. Ordinance 162 establishes the moratorium, while Ordinance 163 amends the township's zoning ordinance to implement it.

Township trustee Megan Tresnak clarified that the moratorium prohibits the permitting, approval, construction, or installation of data centers for one year, with a potential for extension. The board's primary goal is to use this period to study how to regulate data centers, as the current zoning ordinance lacks specific provisions for these facilities.

Officials expressed concerns regarding data centers' high water and energy consumption, potential noise pollution, and the need for proper design, size, location, and operational regulations. The moratorium allows the township to address these issues before further development occurs. While a waiver from an extended moratorium could be sought by landowners demonstrating irreparable harm, no public comment was made for or against the ordinances during the meeting.