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Planning Commission delays recommendation on data center zoning after residents raise water, noise and infrastructure concerns
Summary
The Lake Isabella Planning Commission heard extensive public comment on Proposed Ordinance 2026-04, which would create local standards for data centers, and agreed to revise the draft and seek additional technical analyses before making a recommendation to Village Council.
The Village of Lake Isabella Planning Commission on July 14 postponed any recommendation on Proposed Ordinance 2026-04, a draft regulation aimed at establishing local zoning standards for data centers, after a lengthy public hearing in which residents raised questions about water use, noise, electrical capacity and long-term expansion.
Interim Village Manager and Zoning Administrator Jessica Manley presented the ordinance, saying the draft sets definitions, permitted locations, minimum parcel sizes, setbacks, utility and lighting standards, environmental protections, groundwater considerations, decommissioning requirements, and establishes that small-scale data centers would be subject to Special Land Use review in the Industrial District. Manley said the intent was to "regulate data centers rather than encourage them" while avoiding exclusionary-zoning legal risk under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act.
Residents who spoke at the hearing pressed the Commission for more information. Ian Walters, who identified himself as an information-technology professional, said the public needed further education on data centers and flagged concerns about internet bandwidth limits, electrical infrastructure, environmental impacts and potential future expansion. Several speakers, including John Dauffenbach and Bruce Sirmans, emphasized water usage, wastewater disposal and noise from cooling systems as issues the ordinance should address.
Staff told the Commission that a data-center proposal would require state and local permits and environmental review — including approvals from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Central Michigan District Health Department — before a Special Land Use permit could be considered. Manley also confirmed the draft prohibits large-scale and hyperscale facilities throughout the Village and that neither Drew Road parcels nor the Cal Brewer Memorial Airport are presently zoned Industrial.
After hearing public input and reading three written comments into the record, staff proposed specific revisions: require applicants to identify proposed cooling technology and demonstrate it will not adversely affect local water resources; authorize the Commission or Council to require applicant-funded technical studies (water demand, groundwater, electrical infrastructure, traffic, acoustical, environmental, emergency response, and wastewater); replace the term "tributaries" with "connecting waterways" in environmental protections; and strengthen decommissioning language by replacing "may" with "shall" for financial guarantees.
Commissioners agreed further review was warranted. The Commission directed staff to revise the draft ordinance to incorporate the agreed changes, distribute the revised draft to commissioners before the next meeting, and return the item for further consideration. No recommendation was forwarded to the Village Council at this meeting.
The Commission also noted that no developer inquiries had been received to date. Staff said the Village Attorney would review the ordinance after the Planning Commission’s recommendation and before any Council action. The item will return to the Commission for additional review and a possible future public hearing.
