Zeeland Charter Township adopted Resolution 1027 imposing a moratorium on zoning, building, or other permits for the erection or operation of data centers, citing concerns about heavy water and electricity use, and potential noise, light, and vibration impacts. The resolution notes that the current zoning ordinance does not address data centers, that capacity constraints exist while staff and the Planning Commission work on a renewable energy ordinance, and that developing data center regulations is anticipated to take roughly 12 months. The Board directs staff to conduct further research on data centers and defines them as large groups of networked computer servers for remote storage, processing, or distribution of data. Accompanying material from the University of Michigan and MTA outlines siting, infrastructure, environmental, and economic issues. This sets up a planning and ordinance-drafting effort where specialized IT facilities planners, land-use attorneys, utility and cooling engineers, and economic impact consultants can help the Township design zoning standards and possibly negotiate community-benefit conditions before any large-scale data center proposals move forward.

Resolution references MTA and University of Michigan guidance on data centers; the Township currentl...