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To the Journal editor:
Much of the public conversation has focused on preventing data centers from coming to the Upper Peninsula. That concern is understandable, but it overlooks how land use regulation actually works. A statewide prohibition on data centers would be a matter of state law. Local governments, on the other hand, are responsible for considering where all lawful land uses may be permitted and what standards they must meet.
Through my work as a regional planner and participation in Michigan’s Statewide Data Center Working Group (a collaboration of statewide land use experts, attorneys, planning professionals, and subject matter experts), I’ve seen firsthand how communities across Michigan are preparing for this emerging land use. Regardless of where people stand on statewide policy, our responsibility at the local level is to make sure zoning ordinances are ready. Without clear standards in place, communities are left trying to fit a complex, modern land use into ordinances that were never written with data centers in mind.
Under Michigan law, data centers are a lawful land use, and they generally cannot be prohibited throughout an entire community. Instead, zoning determines where uses may be permitted and sets the standards for a project's development. Those standards exist to protect public health, safety, and general welfare while ensuring new development is compatible with surrounding land uses.
Local zoning ordinance standards can address noise from cooling systems and backup generators, setback distance from adjacent properties, landscaping and visual screening, water use and management, emergency access, lighting, and more. Communities can also require studies or mitigation measures where appropriate, and may even pursue community benefits agreements or similar arrangements that may provide community supporting funding or outcomes as a result of a major development.
The term “data center” covers a wide range of facilities with very different infrastructure requirements. The largest AI and cloud computing facilities require enormous amounts of electricity and supporting infrastructure, and the Upper Peninsula currently lacks the generation and transmission capacity to support projects of that scale. That distinction matters when communities begin considering how these facilities should be regulated.
A cryptocurrency mining operation in Dafter Township, in the eastern Upper Peninsula, offers a valuable planning lesson. It differs from the hyperscale cloud and AI facilities that have dominated recent headlines, but it demonstrates what can happen when a community may not be prepared for an emerging land use. Concerns over noise and compatibility with neighboring uses arose after the facility was established, leaving the township with limited regulatory options. Whether the next proposal involves cryptocurrency mining, cloud computing, or AI infrastructure, communities are better served by adopting clear standards before an application is ever submitted.
For residents who are concerned about data centers, the most effective response isn’t simply “just say no.” It’s to become informed, participate in the planning process, and help shape the local regulations that will guide future decisions. Whether a community ultimately welcomes or declines a data center proposal, that decision should be guided by thoughtful local planning developed through an open public process, not made in response to the first application that comes through the door. Attend a local planning commission meeting and provide your input.