HOWELL, Mich. – A proposal to build a massive AI data center in Howell Township is facing another setback after the Livingston County Planning Commission voted unanimously against recommending rezoning more than 1,000 acres of farmland to build the facility.
The Howell Township Planning Commission had previously voted against the rezoning in September.
The project, which is reportedly supported by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, would transform agricultural land near Grand River Avenue and Flemming Road.
Howell Township officials estimate the development could generate between $20 million and $30 million in annual tax revenue.
Homeowners have spoken out against the project, raising concerns about electric costs, water usage, and noise pollution, arguing that land should be used for its intended purpose.
“The impact on our utility costs, the water, the lack of transparency they’ve had with us on it, it feels like they’re trying to fast-track it but haven’t given us barely any information,” said Howell resident Jess Kupfer. “They’re only telling us pros but no cons on the data centers.”
Lauren Prebenda, one of the organizers of the group Stop the Data Center – Livingston, started a petition against the data center rezoning that has gained more than 3,000 signatures.
Thursday night, the Howell Township Board will consider a moratorium that would pause approval of the project for six months. A separate petition in favor of the moratorium has gained more than 2,000 signatures.
“Public utilities aren’t required to disclose the water usage for a specific customer, so we won’t know how much water they use,” Prebenda said. “They can make us promises, but there are no regulatory efforts in effect to ensure they follow the rules.”
Attorney Michael Vogt, who is representing Randee LLC, one of the developers behind the project, shared several conditions developers are willing to adhere to in order to control light and noise pollution and water usage.
Vogt said developers are looking into “dry cooling” technology that would eliminate the data center’s water usage and would cool components through airflow. He said the data center will not use local water resources.
Vogt also said developers will pay for or reimburse the township for all infrastructure costs necessary to develop the data center.
Additionally, no more than 50% of the site would be developed, leaving at least 500 acres undeveloped.
Vogt said there will also be 400 feet of setback along the northern and southern borders of the facility site.
He also said the facility will comply with an elevated noise standard that goes beyond what is required in the zoning ordinance and will implement noise-mitigating technologies.
“I hope you all take some time to just read the conditions that have been proposed and just ask questions from there because they are binding, they are in writing,” Vogt told residents at the meeting.
Vogt also said developers are in support of the moratorium that would push back the project.
The Howell Township Board meeting will take place Thursday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m at the Rod Bushey Performing Arts Center, located at 1200 W. Grand River Ave.