Lyon Township board recall petition language rejected by Oakland Co.

A second effort by the "No Data Center in Lyon Township" group to secure approval for recall petition language targeting the Lyon Township board has been rejected by the Oakland County Election Commission. On Monday, the commission unanimously found that none of the 23 petitions against the seven board members met the "clear and/or factual" criteria, citing issues with the specificity of events and context. Nancy Hopkins, a petitioner and group member, indicated that they would consult an attorney to refine the language for a third attempt, expressing frustration over the lack of guidance from Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown. Brown, however, maintained that it was not appropriate for her office to provide such direction. The petitions had cited various reasons, including board members' votes on a $300,000 property purchase, salary increases, and a review of a tax abatement policy that petitioners alleged could benefit Walbridge construction company and the data center project. This controversy originated from the planning commission's September approval of "Project Flex," a 1.8-million-square-foot, six-building data center planned for 172 acres in the South Hill Business Park West. As the land was already zoned for industrial use allowing data centers, the township board's direct approval for this specific project was not required. Despite the ongoing progression of the large data center, Lyon Township residents have consistently voiced concerns at public meetings regarding the hyperscale project's potential impacts on water, electricity, noise, health, and property values. In response to community anxieties and to prepare for future similar developments, the township's board of trustees unanimously passed a resolution enacting a 180-day moratorium on data centers and other proposed developments exceeding 100,000 square feet. This pause will allow the township planner, engineer, and consultants to review existing data center regulations. Following the election commission's decision, Trustee Sean O'Neil affirmed the board's commitment to working through the process with residents' best interests in mind.