The City of Negaunee has prepared a draft zoning ordinance to explicitly allow large-scale data centers as special land uses in mining and industrial zones, with detailed siting, buffering, power, environmental and community impact requirements. The draft sets standards for building height, 200-foot setbacks, buffer yards up to 300 feet, noise limits, stormwater and environmental impact assessments, and requires connection to public water and sewer, third-party noise and electrical inspections, and coordination with police and fire on emergency radio coverage. This is a policy move that signals the City is preparing for one or more substantial data center developments rather than reacting project-by-project.No specific project or vendor is named yet, so the commercial opportunity is in shaping upcoming site selection, environmental studies, power and cooling solutions, security, and design work once development proposals appear under this framework. Vendors in planning, engineering, environmental consulting, power and cooling systems, and security can begin educating planning staff and commissioners on compliant solutions and turnkey approaches for future data center applicants.

Ordinance requires third-party noise studies, environmental and community impact analyses, and environmental impact assessments prepared by qualified professionals before Planning Commission hearings.