Washington Township works on data center ordinance

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Home » Data center ordinance development continues in Washington Township: ‘There is a limit to everything’

Property south of 32 Mile Road in Washington Township that was targeted by real estate company Prologis for rezoning into an industrial, research and technology zoning district, which would in part clear the way for a proposed data center. Tribune News Service file photo via Macomb Daily.

Overview:

Washington Township planning commissioners vote to continue work on rules governing data centers.

Residents express concerns about unknown long-term environmental and health effects of the facilities.

"When you get into something this large, you have to pull back and say, ‘well, there is a limit,'" township engineer Mike Kozak says of water usage.

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By SOPHIA LADA<br>Macomb Daily<br>April 10, 2026

Washington Township officials continue to work on rules governing the establishment of data centers after one was proposed locally last year.

At the April 9 planning commission meeting, officials took the next step toward developing an ordinance amendment related to data centers.

At the end of the nearly three-hour session, commissioners voted to authorize the township planner and attorney to continue working with their engineer, a noise consultant and any other necessary consultants to assist with developing the proposed ordinance amendment.

The process includes receiving amendment requests, researching the issue, holding a public hearing, and presenting findings to the board of trustees, which could then vote on the proposal.

‘There is a limit to everything’

The planning commission discussed concerns about the noise that would come from a data center.

Darren Brown, a noise expert who said he works with municipalities to strengthen ordinances or review applications through noise studies, addressed the board.

He said low frequency noise is something everyone experiences, but there are thresholds where noise does become an issue.

“We have to be diligent about protecting the people around us, the residents of the communities that we serve and we also have to work with knowledge we have. So it’s a fine line to balance, and I don’t want people to get overly stressed out about low frequency,” he said.

Brown recommended penalties for tonal noise or impulsive noise. He also suggested a thorough sound study to accompany the application.

“If somebody’s going to, you know, invest billions of dollars into a data center, you know, they can complete a $50,000 noise study,” he said.

Kayla Mauldin with Spalding DeDecker said Washington Township already has robust lighting ordinances that restricts the colors and view of lights from adjacent properties.

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She is also working on developing a battery energy storage ordinance.

Township engineer Mike Kozak said that these types of uses would likely not be allowed to connect to a well system, and the township would prohibit uses such as these from constructing a private wastewater treatment facility as much as possible.

When it comes to the amount of water that can be used, though, the issue can be complicated. Usually, the township would assign a water capacity based on the amount of square feet. With a development as large as a proposed data center, though, he said there would need to be a higher limit.

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“Generally speaking, we don’t limit the amount. If they want to pay for water, they can pay for the water. When you get into something this large, you have to pull back and say, ‘well, there is a limit,’” he said.

“While your system is robust and it can provide a lot of water, there is a limit to everything. There’s a limit, not just on what we can supply through the water system, but what we can take out into the sewers and that’s our more stringent limit, typically.”

Currently, Kozak said there are no industrial wastewater customers in Washington Township. He...