Wixom weighs data center ordinance: ‘We aren’t necessarily prepared’

The Wixom Planning Commission is developing a comprehensive data center ordinance to address potential issues identified in other Michigan communities. City Councilmember Keenan Gottschall, who initiated the motion for the ordinance, emphasized the need for Wixom to be prepared with zoning and planning regulations for data centers. The draft ordinance includes restrictions on water usage, a requirement for electric utility providers like DTE Energy to verify available capacity and identify necessary system upgrades, and financial requirements for developers to cover infrastructure investments. The proposed rules also feature siting requirements to create buffers between data centers and residential areas, mitigating concerns about noise and vibrations. Assistant City Manager Drew Benson noted that Wixom possesses more existing energy infrastructure, including an underutilized substation, than some rural townships where data centers are being proposed. DTE Energy, however, declined to comment on the substation's excess capacity. Gottschall highlighted residents' concerns about potential increases in utility bills due to data centers' significant energy and water demands. The ordinance also considers Michigan's 2023 energy law's "off ramp" provision, which could allow fossil fuel generation to remain online if capacity shortages arise. The planning commission will hold a public hearing on the draft ordinance before it can be recommended to the city council for final approval.