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Trenton council approves CRA agreement for data center as residents voice opposition and ask for fiscal details
Summary
On July 9, 2026 the Trenton City Council adopted an ordinance authorizing a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement and compensation agreement for a proposed data center, drawing extended public comment raising traffic, environmental and tax-abatement concerns; council also announced the prospective operator pledged $750,000 for a Veterans Memorial as part of ongoing negotiations.
The Trenton City Council voted unanimously on July 9 to adopt an ordinance authorizing a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement and a related compensation agreement for a proposed data center development, amid sustained public comment questioning the project’s tax incentives and impacts.
The ordinance, described by staff as authorizing the execution of a CRA and compensation agreement and amended to increase payroll/headcount language, passed by roll call with all voting "Yay." Council moved and seconded the measure as read by title; the ordinance was approved as presented.
Residents who spoke during the public-comment period urged the council to reconsider or to provide clearer financial justification for the incentives. "If we don't bring the data center in, then we're not gonna have a lot of money for the city," said Amy Humbert, who urged the city to pursue multiple economic options rather than rely on a single project. Barry Blankenship told the council that petition returns showed broad local opposition and asked elected officials to "please listen to us."
Several speakers raised specifics about the incentive package. A resident asked why the proposal included a 75% tax reduction on new improvements; staff and council members explained abatements are commonly offered to attract development and that durations and percentages vary by project. Staff member Matthew described how residential CRAs operate for homeowner improvements and summarized statutorily allowable CRA durations discussed in council (examples in the discussion cited 10–15 years for different contexts).
Council and staff also addressed infrastructure impacts raised by speakers from Trenton and neighboring townships. A nonresident commenter referenced a 2000 transportation study that flagged future traffic and routing needs in the area proposed for annexation; staff said the prospective operator had acknowledged required road improvements and would fund construction-phase upgrades subject to county engineering and traffic studies.
The meeting’s reports section included an announcement that, as part of continuing negotiations related to the annex/property discussions, the prospective data-center operator had pledged to pay 100% of a $750,000 Veterans Memorial for Trenton. The chair said negotiations were ongoing and that additional community compensation items may be forthcoming.
Why it matters: the CRA authorization grants a substantial local tax incentive that lowers near-term property taxes on improvements to attract the data center; residents, neighboring township residents and some council members said they want more transparency on the economics and clearer information on traffic and environmental effects before future approvals. Staff pledged to post CRA application details and to provide follow-up information to residents who requested it.
What's next: Staff offered to provide a public breakdown of CRA terms and will post related application materials online; negotiations with the prospective operator will continue and additional council actions could follow as agreements are finalized.
