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Planning Commission recommends six‑month township‑wide moratorium on large data centers
Summary
The commission unanimously recommended the Township Board impose a six‑month moratorium (with a possible six‑month extension) on data center applications to allow staff and counsel to draft ordinance standards addressing energy, noise, water and compatibility concerns.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward a favorable recommendation to the Township Board to impose a temporary, township‑wide moratorium on large‑scale data center applications.
Director Jeffrey Polkowski explained the proposed text amendment would define data centers as a distinct land use and "temporarily suspend acceptance of applications for rezoning, site plan approval, special land use approval, building permits, and business registrations for new data center facilities within Waterford Township" so staff and the township attorney can review impacts and draft ordinance standards.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing. Commissioners said the current Zoning Ordinance does not address the specific impacts of large‑scale data centers—such as energy demand, noise, water consumption and fuel storage—and supported the moratorium as a pause to craft standards aligned with best practices from other Michigan communities. The motion to forward a favorable recommendation to the Township Board carried unanimously (Ray/yes, Kramer/yes, Wall/yes, Smith/yes, Frasca/yes, Printz/yes).
The Planning Commission’s recommendation asks the Board to adopt a temporary moratorium of up to six months with a possible six‑month extension to allow preparation of an ordinance that would regulate data center siting and related operational impacts.
