Washington Twp. data center zoning request postponed yet again, here’s why

Washington Township in Michigan is considering amendments to its zoning ordinances related to data centers and large-scale industrial uses. A rezoning request for a proposed data center by developer Prologis has been postponed multiple times as the planning commission reviews the zoning laws. Officials say the proper process must be followed to make the ordinances "bulletproof" against potential lawsuits from the developer or local residents. Prologis has withdrawn its initial conditional rezoning application and is now seeking a straight rezoning to an Industrial-Research-Technology district, which would require a special land use permit to build a data center on the 312-acre site. Demand for data centers is growing due to the rise of artificial intelligence technologies.