LYON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — As Lyon Township officials and leaders with the California-based company Verrus held a study meeting about a planned data center, residents are continuing to show opposition to the project.
Groups of residents stood in the cold with a clear message about the proposed facility, which would be located south of Grand River Avenue and east of Milford Road.
Watch Demetrios Sanders' video report below:
"We do not want this data center," Sarah Williamson said.
The demonstration preceded an informational meeting between Verrus officials and Lyon Township leaders about the project, which received conditional approval from the township's planning commission in September.
Many residents said they were caught off guard by the approval process.
"By the time everybody heard about it, it was already passed and gone through," Williamson said.
Resident concerns focus on infrastructure impact
Protesters cited multiple concerns about the data center's proximity to homes and its potential impact on local infrastructure.
"I mean, I moved here to have a good life with my children, so I'm very concerned it's going to have a major impact on that," Melisa Noble said.
Noble expressed particular worry about water usage, utility costs and grid reliability.
"It is concerning that we will have more stress on our grid and then if there's more infrastructure built, the cost being pushed onto the residents," Noble said.
Previous coverage: Lyon Township residents blindsided by AI data center approval near homes
Company touts environmental benefits, job creation
Jeff Bladen, head of energy with Verrus, defended the project during the informational meeting, emphasizing the company's focus on sustainability and community benefits.
"Verrus was set up two and a half years ago to design data centers that are cleaner, that are more energy efficient, that are quieter, that are safer, and we want to talk to the community about how we actually do that," Bladen said.
According to Bladen, Project Flex will use 99% less water than legacy data centers and include on-site batteries to reduce stress on the power grid. The project would also create significant employment opportunities.
"Thousands of construction jobs, good union construction jobs, hundreds of permanent jobs once the campus is fully built out," Bladen said.
Construction timeline remains unclear
While the project has conditional approval, Bladen said a construction timeline remains uncertain.
"It's important to make sure we've satisfied all of the requirements of the township before we lay out any specific plans for starting construction," Bladen said.
The Lyon Township supervisor confirmed the meeting served as a learning opportunity for township leaders and emphasized that the project remains dependent on Verrus meeting conditions set by the planning commission.
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Despite the company's assurances, residents vowed to continue their opposition efforts.
"My main hope is that they see we're serious about this and we're not going to back down and we're not going to get tired," Noble said.
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