East Lansing Extends Data Center Moratorium as City Develops New Regulations
The East Lansing City Council has approved a six-month extension to its data center moratorium, moving its expiration to March 2027. This extension allows the city's internal workgroup to finalize new zoning ordinance language to regulate data centers, as current ordinances do not address them. The workgroup is seeking expert input and has considered factors like noise, energy, water usage, and environmental impacts.
The East Lansing City Council has unanimously approved a six-month extension of its data center moratorium, pushing its expiration from September to March 2027. The extension allows city staff more time to consult with subject-matter experts and develop comprehensive zoning ordinance language, as the city's current regulations do not specifically address data centers.
Principal Planner Landon Bartley reported on August 12 that an internal workgroup has developed a conceptual framework for recommendations. While the city initially received no applications for data centers when the moratorium began in March, several inquiries have since been made, though interest has recently tapered off. Currently, only a few industrial parcels, totaling 15 to 20 acres, are suitable for data center construction, with two owned by Michigan State University.
The workgroup, comprising employees from various city departments and boards, has studied data center regulations in other Michigan cities, including Ann Arbor, Mason, and Saline, as well as locations in Virginia, Iowa, and Missouri. Their research focuses on potential impacts such as noise, energy and water usage, setback requirements, and environmental concerns like wellhead protection. The group is also considering requirements for data center decommissioning. Bartley expressed optimism that proposed ordinance language could be presented to the council before the moratorium's new expiration date.