The Wixom City Council in Michigan unanimously rejected a developer’s request to lift a moratorium on data center construction on July 14, 2026. The council determined the request was unreasonable given potential health, safety, and welfare impacts on the city’s population of just over 17,300 residents. The moratorium remains in effect until the end of August to provide time for council members to vote on a new ordinance establishing regulations for future data center projects.

Developer Dennis Griffin of Wixom Industrial One proposed a three-building facility on a 54-acre site at 30625 S. Wixom Road. The project would cover more than 519,000 square feet, with each building exceeding 200,000 square feet. During a 5-hour meeting, council members and residents expressed significant concerns regarding the proximity of the facility to homes, schools, and day care centers. Residents also raised alarms about environmental impacts, including noise pollution, water resource management, and air quality, noting that the developer’s application did not specify the number of permanent jobs the facility would create.

During the meeting, council members discussed potential amendments to the city’s industrial zoning code, which would classify data centers as special use in light industrial districts (M1 or M2). Proposed requirements include stricter decibel limits, mandated noise studies, and minimum distance setbacks from residential zones. Councilman Peter Behrmann cited personal research into other jurisdictions, specifically noting noise complaints surrounding a bitcoin mining operation in Dowagiac that has been ticketed for exceeding local sound standards. While Dennis Griffin argued that his data center technology would be quieter than the facility in Dowagiac, comparing it to the difference between a "Mac truck" and a "Tesla," he failed to persuade the city board and departed the meeting immediately after the rejection.

The council also addressed community concerns regarding government transparency, with Mayor Patrick Beagle and Deputy Mayor Keenan Gottschall rejecting rumors that officials had signed non-disclosure agreements or accepted bribes. The proposed rules for data center developments are expected to undergo a first reading on July 28, following a legal review of the updated ordinance language.

The Wixom City Council in Michigan unanimously rejected a developer’s request to lift a moratorium on data center construction on July 14, 2026. The council determined the request was unreasonable given potential health, safety, and welfare impacts on the city’s population of just over 17,300 residents. The moratorium remains in effect until the end of August to provide time for council members to vote on a new ordinance establishing regulations for future data center projects.

Developer Dennis Griffin of Wixom Industrial One proposed a three-building facility on a 54-acre site at 30625 S. Wixom Road. The project would cover more than 519,000 square feet, with each building exceeding 200,000 square feet. During a 5-hour meeting, council members and residents expressed significant concerns regarding the proximity of the facility to homes, schools, and day care centers. Residents also raised alarms about environmental impacts, including noise pollution, water resource management, and air quality, noting that the developer’s application did not specify the number of permanent jobs the facility would create.

During the meeting, council members discussed potential amendments to the city’s industrial zoning code, which would classify data centers as special use in light industrial districts (M1 or M2). Proposed requirements include stricter decibel limits, mandated noise studies, and minimum distance setbacks from residential zones. Councilman Peter Behrmann cited personal research into other jurisdictions, specifically noting noise complaints surrounding a bitcoin mining operation in Dowagiac that has been ticketed for exceeding local sound standards. While Dennis Griffin argued that his data center technology would be quieter than the facility in Dowagiac, comparing it to the difference between a "Mac truck" and a "Tesla," he failed to persuade the city board and departed the meeting immediately after the rejection.

The council also addressed community concerns regarding government transparency, with Mayor Patrick Beagle and Deputy Mayor Keenan Gottschall rejecting rumors that officials had signed non-disclosure agreements or accepted bribes. The proposed rules for data center developments are expected to undergo a first reading on July 28, following a legal review of the updated ordinance language.