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Waterford Board introduces six-month moratorium on data center approvals
Summary
The Waterford Township Board voted to introduce Zoning Ordinance 2026-Z-003, imposing a six-month moratorium on applications for new data centers township-wide to allow staff and counsel to study infrastructure, land-use and public-safety implications; the Planning Commission had recommended approval.
The Waterford Township Board of Trustees on March 9 introduced Zoning Ordinance 2026-Z-003, a proposed six-month moratorium on acceptance of applications for rezoning, site plans, special land uses, building permits and business registrations for new data centers across the township.
Development Services staff presented a memo describing the rapid rise in private data center proposals in Michigan and the Midwest and recommended temporarily pausing approvals so the township can evaluate potential impacts on electrical infrastructure, water use, fuel storage, noise, traffic and compatibility with surrounding uses. The memo defines “Data Center” as a facility whose primary function is housing servers, data storage, telecommunications equipment and related infrastructure, and it excludes accessory server rooms associated with a principal permitted use.
The Planning Commission reviewed the proposal on Feb. 24, 2026, and unanimously forwarded a favorable recommendation. Trustee Marie E. Hauswirth moved to introduce the ordinance; Clerk Kim Markee seconded the motion, and the Board voted unanimously to place the ordinance on the March 23, 2026 meeting agenda for possible adoption.
Why it matters: Data centers can require substantial electricity, cooling and sometimes onsite backup fuel supplies. The moratorium preserves the status quo while staff and the township attorney review model zoning standards and consider ordinance language for siting, buffering, energy-demand mitigation and other performance criteria.
What’s next: The Board will consider final adoption at its March 23 meeting. If approved, the moratorium would bar acceptance of new data-center applications for six months or until the Board repeals the resolution.
