Howell Township Begins Formal Process to Draft Data Center Regulations
December 24, 2025
Howell Township, Michigan, has initiated a formal regulatory process for data center development, a move reflecting growing national tensions between the booming digital infrastructure sector and local community concerns over land use, energy consumption, and quality of life.
The process formally began with a December 16 meeting of the Howell Township Planning Commission, which sought to establish an open dialogue and lay the groundwork for research. This meeting followed the December 7 withdrawal of a highly controversial rezoning request for a proposed data center project east of Handy Township. That earlier proposal, which targeted numerous parcels along Marr, Fleming, Warner, and Owosso Roads, had sparked intense community opposition. In response, township officials enacted a six-month moratorium on all data center establishment, permitting, and construction to provide time to draft and approve local regulations.
During the December meeting, commissioners were joined by the newly formed Howell Township Resident Research Committee, which agreed to research ordinances from other municipalities and study the potential negative impacts of data centers. “This was more about presenting the information and getting your head around it,” said board representative Tim Boal. “There’s a lot here to do.” A key focus for officials is exploring whether zoning should differ based on the scale and expected energy usage of proposed facilities. “I like the idea of defining different scales ... so it’s not a one-size-fits-all ordinance,” said Planning Commission Chairperson Wayne Williams.
Officials acknowledged the legal complexities involved, noting a fine line between reasonable restrictions and creating an ordinance that could be construed as an outright ban, potentially exposing the municipality to litigation. “We can’t just ban them,” Boal stated. The planning commission has received tentative draft language from consulting firm Carlisle/Wortman Associates as a starting point. Once a full draft ordinance is complete, the commission will hold a public hearing and vote on whether to recommend it to the Howell Township Board of Trustees for final approval.
The township’s deliberate approach highlights a broader industry trend where local governments are moving from ad-hoc reactions to creating structured, long-term policies to manage the rapid expansion of data centers, balancing economic potential with community and environmental stewardship.
Source: livingstondaily
