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Commissioner flags data-centers for county scrutiny, cites noise and land-use concerns
Summary
Commissioner Asper said federal and state rules limit local bans on data centers, signaled plans to draft a county resolution, and raised health concerns about continuous low-frequency noise and use of agricultural land; commissioners urged public engagement at local planning commissions.
Commissioner Asper raised data centers as new business, warning that recent state law limits local governmentsability to outright ban data-center development and urging townships and cities to be vigilant about siting. "A lot of them... are using the good agricultural land," she said, and argued that data centers should be located on industrial or brownfield properties rather than productive farmland.
Asper said she is collecting materials and preparing a resolution and encouraged residents to watch planning commission meetings or visit her social media for explanatory videos. She also emphasized health concerns tied to low-frequency noise from generators, saying such sounds can travel long distances and are associated with sleep disturbance and other health effects. Other commissioners recommended constituents attend local planning-commission hearings early in the process to ensure their concerns are heard.
The board did not take formal action on a countywide ban during the meeting; Asper said she would bring a draft resolution and planned to appear at the April 20 planning meeting to present more information.
