Emmet County Planning & Zoning is aware that claims have been circulating on social media that a data center proposal will be considered by the Planning Commission at their April meeting. We also have heard concerns that the Planning Commission is adopting ordinance language to allow or facilitate data centers. Please note the following facts:

Emmet County Planning & Zoning is aware that claims have been circulating on social media that a data center proposal will be considered by the Planning Commission at their April meeting. We also have heard concerns that the Planning Commission is adopting ordinance language to allow or facilitate data centers. Please note the following facts: A data center proposal is NOT on the April 9 Planning Commission agenda. As of the date/time of this posting, no site plan, proposal, or inquiry regarding a possible data center has been received by the Emmet County Planning & Zoning department. The April 9 Planning Commission agenda includes discussion of Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments for storage uses. As part of this review process, the Planning Commission was provided analysis and sample ordinance language regarding data centers and battery energy storage systems (BESS). Currently the Emmet County Zoning Ordinance does not include provisions to regulate data centers and BESS facilities. State law prohibits exclusionary zoning – meaning the County cannot use the Zoning Ordinance to exclude a certain type of land use. It is therefore not possible to simply reject any data center proposal or adopt an ordinance that would ban data centers entirely. The Planning Commission is not reacting to a specific request, but rather they are working to get ahead of the issue by reviewing case studies and sample ordinances to determine how to appropriately regulate these uses within the law and in a way that best protects the health, safety, and welfare of our community. For more information, please review the Planning Commission Packet.