Residents urge council to reject Deep Green data center rezoning; planners, BWL face questions on noise, water and community fit
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Summary
At a long public‑comment session Jan. 26, Lansing residents and neighborhood advocates urged the City Council to oppose rezoning that would allow the proposed Deep Green data center in the REO Town area, citing noise, wastewater, pedestrian character and missing engineering details; council set a public hearing on related rezoning for Feb. 23, 2026.
Dozens of Lansing residents told City Council on Jan. 26 they oppose rezoning that would permit a proposed Deep Green data center near REO Town, asserting the site is pedestrian‑oriented and listing museums, gardens, small businesses and residences they say would be affected.
Public commenters repeatedly criticized city and developer presentations as lacking technical detail. At a community meeting cited by multiple speakers, they said Deep Green representatives declined to provide what attendees described as engineering or scientific proofs about noise, water use and air‑quality impacts. "I don't support the rezoning for this," said Elizabeth Charavelli, who listed more than 20 neighborhood assets within a half mile of the proposed site and said the presentation made the lot seem "in the middle of nowhere." Many speakers asked the council to preserve the existing master plan and encouraged alternatives such as housing, parks or community uses.
Speakers also raised questions about utility and environmental safeguards. Commenters said that presentations by the Lansing Board of Water & Light and planning staff left unanswered questions about wastewater treatment, potential chemical risks and how the utility would handle increased peak power or supplemental fuel‑cell generation. One resident asked the city to "show us the science" and criticized the developer's lawyer for saying design comes after site acquisition.
City staff introduced an ordinance earlier in the meeting to rezone a property at 500 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. from DT‑1 Downtown Edge to DT‑2 Urban Flex, and the Council set a public hearing for Feb. 23, 2026 at 7 p.m. Several council members expressed appreciation for public turnout and said they wanted thorough vetting. The mayor and staff acknowledged the community's concerns and said the advisory boards and committees would continue reviewing proposals and recommendations.
Speakers also linked the data center debate to broader civic priorities, saying the city should prioritize housing, community space and environmental protections over speculative development. Many urged stronger conditions, clearer technical studies and binding safeguards if the project proceeds.
Next procedural step: the Council will hold the publicly noticed rezoning hearing on Feb. 23, 2026. The planning review, advisory board recommendations and any technical reports requested by the city will inform subsequent Council action.
