VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — As Van Buren Township's Planning Commission prepares to consider final site plan approval for a proposed Google data center, some residents who live near the project say they remain frustrated by ongoing construction activity and believe their concerns have not been adequately addressed.
Residents who have spoken out for weeks about the development say noise from construction has disrupted their daily lives, and more recently, dust from the site has become a growing concern.
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Max Schroeder, who has lived on Jackson Street for about seven years, said construction activity tied to the planned data center has changed the character of the neighborhood.
"No one wants this, it feels like we're being ignored, no one wants this giant data center right on Haggerty," Schroeder said.
Schroeder said construction has brought significant noise and dust to the area.
"Now, it's just loud, dirty and the view's gone," he said.
He pointed to an antenna box attached to his home that was once white but is now coated in what he describes as soot and dust from the nearby work.
"Just sends a huge dust cloud over," Schroeder said. "My house is the only one without a fence, but even with a chain-link fence, it doesn't do anything for the dust. Eventually, you just see a coat of dust on everything."
The construction work near the site is being conducted by ITC. In a statement, the company said it is working with the township to address residents' concerns.
ITC is constructing an underground electric transmission line in I-94 Service Dr and Old Haggerty Rd to connect to DTE and the Google data center site being developed in Van Buren Township. ITC has been working closely with Van Buren Township to ensure our construction activities comply with the township’s noise ordinance and construction hours, and construction updates are regularly communicated through the Van Buren Township website. We understand construction activities may be disruptive to residents and apologize for the inconvenience. Residents can contact ITC with construction questions or concerns at (248) 365-4272 or cannoli@itctransco.com.
Ashley Shukait, who lives nearby, said she believes residents' input was overlooked during the planning process.
"It's really frustrating and sad to see our voices not heard in our community, our health not considered," Shukait said.
Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara said township officials have worked to balance residents' concerns with legal requirements governing the project review process.
"We really did listen to every one of their complaints. To just say no to data centers is against the law and we would have lost, and we wouldn't have been able to take care of all of their other ideas, water protection, wildlife corridors, sound suppression, continuous monitoring around the plant," McNamara said.
McNamara said the township will continue working with residents as the project moves forward.
"We are going to build the best darn data center as we can that's going to have as low an impact on our community as possible," he said.
The Planning Commission is expected to consider final approval of the project's site plans during its meeting Tuesday evening. The vote marks a significant step in the development process for the planned data center, which has drawn both support and opposition from residents living nearby.
