Loading map…
Regbase

The Data Center Divide

Waterford Charter Township

This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.

Mixed Data Center Policies

Waterford Charter Township has enacted a six-month extension of its pause on new data-center applications, barring site-plan and business-registration applications while leaving existing centers unaffected; the description also calls the measure proposed.

Rating from Michigan statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Waterford Charter Township.

current law · Charter Township of Waterford
Temporarily prohibits Waterford Township from accepting site-plan and business-registration applications for new data centers while it reviews possible regulations.Waterford Charter Township Zoning Ordinance No. 2026-Z-003 (2026)

What this means

The proposed six-month extension would continue the pause on applications for new data centers, following an initial six-month moratorium, making it a substantial temporary barrier to new construction. It does not ban operating existing centers, but it delays new projects; the measure says applications for site plan approval and business registration would be barred.

Timing

Ends
six (6) months after adoption, or earlier if the Board of Trustees repeals the resolution

The moratorium may be extended. The sources do not specify a fixed extension period; the review provisions continue during any extension.

People behind it

  • Development Services Director who prepared the memorandum and recommended evaluating and imposing the temporary data-center moratorium.

  • Conducted the internal planning and administrative review and recommended further study and regulation of data centers.

  • Reviewed the proposed zoning amendment and unanimously forwarded a favorable recommendation to the Township Board.

Show 4 more peopleShow fewer people

  • Introduced and adopted the zoning amendment and adopted the resolution establishing the six-month moratorium.

  • Assigned to study data-center impacts, review other communities’ practices, and draft potential zoning and code amendments during the moratorium.

  • Assigned to assist the Township Board and Planning Commission in reviewing the measure and recommending possible amendments.

  • Township Clerk who certified adoption of the zoning amendment and moratorium resolution.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements5

  • A six-month moratorium, or until the Board of Trustees repeals it, bars acceptance of site-plan approval applications for new data centers; the moratorium may also be extended.

  • During the moratorium, new data centers may not submit business-registration applications.

  • An aggrieved property or business owner may request a hearing within 45 days of submitting a written request, but relief from the moratorium is available only if the Board determines that the moratorium would eliminate all viable economic use of the property or violate applicable state or federal law.

  • The measure defines a data center broadly to include facilities or groups of buildings primarily housing and operating computer servers, data-storage systems, telecommunications equipment, and associated infrastructure, including possible backup generation, cooling, fuel storage, and security infrastructure.

  • Server rooms or data-processing facilities that are accessory and incidental to a principal permitted use are excluded from the data-center definition and moratorium.

Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions4

  • Accessory server rooms or data-processing facilities that are incidental to a principal permitted use are excluded from the definition of “Data Center,” so they are not subject to the data-center moratorium. definition excludes accessory facilities

  • The moratorium’s operative prohibition is limited to accepting site-plan-approval and business-registration applications for new data centers; it does not expressly bar applications for building permits, rezoning, or special land-use approval. barring the acceptance of applications for site plan approval and business registration

  • Pending proceedings and existing rights and liabilities when the ordinance takes effect are preserved and may be completed under the law that applied when they began, potentially protecting qualifying data-center projects already in process. All proceedings pending and all rights and liabilities existing

  • An aggrieved property or business owner may request a hearing and obtain relief from the moratorium by demonstrating that it would eliminate all viable economic use of the property or violate applicable state or federal law. The request must be submitted in writing, and the hearing must occur within 45 days. may request and be entitled to a hearing

Sources

Data provided by Regbase · Cookie preferences · Report missing data