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Township board adopts zoning amendments targeting data centers, enabling short-term moratorium
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Summary
Cascade Charter Township adopted amendments to its zoning ordinance to regulate data mining/data center facilities and authorized a short-term moratorium to give staff time to draft implementing regulations; the motion passed on a roll call vote.
Cascade Charter Township’s board voted April 22 to adopt zoning ordinance amendments intended to regulate data mining facilities and data centers and to enable a short-term moratorium while implementing rules.
Manager Smith and the township attorney walked the board through the changes, noting a new section (identified in the packet as section 4.35) added to the general provisions of the zoning ordinance. Attorney Homer explained the legal mechanics: after a zoning amendment is adopted, a registered elector may file a notice of intent to petition for referendum and if petitions meet the statutory threshold the matter can be referred to the ballot. "Once a zoning amendment is adopted, then you have 15 days to publish a notice of adoption," Homer said, "Within 7 days of that notice of adoption, a registered elector ... can file a notice of intent ... From that point, they have 30 days ... to gather sufficient signatures. That is 15% of the votes cast for governor in the preceding gubernatorial election."
Board members discussed whether the amendments left any "blind spots" for data centers; Homer said the amendments plus the forthcoming resolution imposing a moratorium will give the township time to adopt implementing regulations and seek feedback from utilities and other stakeholders. Trustee Shipley moved to adopt Resolution 0192026, "adopting the proposed amendments," and the roll call vote on the motion was recorded as all voting "Yes." The motion carried.
The board did not change the timeline for public review but staff said they expect to return with regulatory language after additional stakeholder feedback. The board recorded no abstentions and took no further immediate regulatory actions at the meeting.
