Garfield Township Tees Up Data Center Moratorium; Incomplete Application Submitted for Project
Garfield Township is considering a potential 18-month moratorium on data centers to update its zoning ordinance, driven by public opposition and concerns over energy, water, and noise. An incomplete application for a small-scale data center has been submitted by Cervenka Development Partners, but cannot be approved until updated. A public hearing on the zoning update is scheduled for August 11, with a vote possible that night.
Garfield Township, Michigan, is actively pursuing a potential 18-month moratorium on data center development to allow for comprehensive updates to its zoning ordinance. The move comes amidst significant public opposition, with residents raising concerns about energy consumption, water/sewer impacts, and noise from data center operations. Township planning commissioners have already approved a procedural zoning update to enable temporary moratoriums, forwarding it to the Board of Trustees for a public hearing and potential vote on August 11.
Simultaneously, Illinois-based Cervenka Development Partners has submitted an incomplete site plan application for a "low-intensity, environmentally conscious data center" on Sybrandt Road. Township Planning Director John Sych stated the application lacks critical engineering, lighting, and landscaping plans, preventing its consideration for approval. Developers from Cervenka Development Partners intend for the project to be an adaptive reuse of an existing industrial building, minimizing new construction and water usage for cooling.
The proposed moratorium aims to give the township time to re-evaluate how data centers are regulated, potentially changing them from a "use by right" in industrial zones to requiring a "special use permit" with more stringent review standards. Trustee Molly Agostinelli noted concerns about "medium size" data centers, acknowledging that even smaller facilities have impacts. TC Light & Power has confirmed discussions with Cervenka as a potential customer and states it has sufficient energy for the proposed project under a customized agreement.