VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Despite months of opposition from residents, Van Buren Township officials approved plans Wednesday for a controversial Google data center campus, clearing the way for a project that is already under construction and expected to bring years of development activity to the area.
The hyperscale data center campus will span 282 acres north of I-94 between Haggerty Road and I-275.
See the full story in the video below
Residents packed public meetings leading up to the decision, raising concerns about everything from noise and dust to environmental impacts, property values and water usage.
"I have repeatedly expressed concern about the potential effects of continuous low frequency humming and total noise," one resident told officials.
Another resident argued that "noise and nuisance do not belong in residential neighborhoods."
Many residents said they felt their concerns were being ignored throughout the approval process.
Developers, however, said the project has been significantly modified in response to community feedback.
"We've worked hard over the last three years to take as much community feedback into the site plan and the design," said Adam Kramer, president of Panattoni Data Centers.
Kramer said the company has invested tens of millions of dollars into changes aimed at reducing impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
"Most residents won't even know that the data center is there just because visually you're not going to see it. Out of sight, out of mind. But you will feel the benefits from this," Kramer said.
Developers say the development will create jobs and generate substantial tax revenue. Township officials said that state law limits their ability to reject projects that meet zoning requirements.
"The planning commission, per Michigan state law, is required to approve site plans that satisfy the ordinance standards," one township official said during the meeting.
Construction Timeline
While debate over the project continues, construction activity is already underway.
According to project documents, underground utility work associated with the development will be completed in eight phases. Most of the work will require temporary road closures near the I-94 Service Drive, Van Buren Street and Old Haggerty Road.
The early phases of construction are expected to continue through the end of 2026, with additional work planned into early 2027.
The final phases are scheduled for March 2027 and will affect Haggerty Road traffic. Rather than full closures, drivers can expect alternating one-way traffic controlled by flaggers while work is underway.
A Growing Statewide Debate
According to reporting by GovTech, Springfield Township in Oakland County approved a 180-day moratorium on new data center applications while officials rewrite zoning regulations and study potential impacts on utilities, public safety and natural resources. Township leaders said they were not prepared to evaluate a large-scale data center proposal without additional rules in place.
Detroit is also weighing restrictions. According to Planet Detroit, the Detroit City Council approved a resolution urging a two-year pause on new data center permits while the city studies issues including power demand, water usage, noise and land-use impacts.
Oxford Township has gone a step further. According to Hoodline, township officials enacted a one-year moratorium while developing regulations related to noise, cooling systems, power demand, generators, water usage and eventual decommissioning requirements. Public interest has been high, with hundreds of residents attending meetings on the issue.
Similar conversations have also taken place in Washington Township and Wixom. According to DataCenterBans.com, Wixom previously adopted a temporary moratorium before implementing stricter zoning requirements, including setbacks from homes, sound studies and water protection measures.
The trend suggests local governments are no longer debating only whether to allow data centers. Instead, many communities are focusing on whether they have regulations in place before major proposals arrive.
For some Van Buren Township residents, that conversation is happening after the fact.
Township officials have maintained that the Google data center met existing zoning requirements, leaving them with no legal basis to deny the project. As construction moves forward, the development is expected to remain a focal point in the broader discussion over how Michigan communities should prepare for future data center proposals.
