Public hearing for Negaunee data center ordinance to be held on Aug. 13
The Negaunee City Council approved the first reading of a zoning ordinance for data centers and scheduled a public hearing for August 13th. The proposed ordinance would limit data centers to specific industrial zones and set restrictions on noise, building height, and environmental impacts. Some council members explicitly stated their hope that the ordinance would deter data center development in the city.
The Negaunee City Council, during its recent meeting, unanimously approved the first reading of a new zoning ordinance targeting data centers. The ordinance, initially drafted and recommended by the Negaunee Planning Commission, is now slated for a public hearing on August 13.
The proposed regulations aim to confine data center operations to existing mining and industrial zones within the city. Key provisions include limitations on noise levels, maximum building heights, and strict controls on environmental outputs such as air pollution, dust, smoke, glare, exhaust, heat, vibration, and humidity, ensuring they are not perceptible beyond the property line.
City Councilperson Jon Becker, who initiated the discussion at the planning commission, expressed the necessity for such language to regulate data center development. He, along with Councilperson Amanda Ghanavati, voiced hopes that the restrictive nature of the ordinance would deter data centers from locating in Negaunee, with Ghanavati encouraging other Upper Peninsula communities to adopt similar measures.
While Councilperson Dave Kangas acknowledged the "21st century information age" as a "sign of the times," he supported the restrictions on location. The council's actions are set against the backdrop of Michigan state law, which prohibits exclusionary zoning, meaning municipalities cannot outright ban lawful land uses like data centers.