GIRARD TOWNSHIP, MI (WTVB) – The Girard Township Board voted unanimously this week to approve a strict new data center zoning regulation ordinance following an intense push for local infrastructure controls.
The decision came after a July 2 public hearing hosted by the township’s planning commission, which drew a large crowd eager to discuss the potential arrival of massive, tech-driven facilities. A
ccording to Planning Director Jessika Cole, the proactive amendment was necessary because the township’s existing zoning rules only dictated basic setbacks and parking requirements. Without the newly adopted language, incoming data center applications would have been completely exempt from specific noise, heat, or light limitations.
Under the newly enacted rules, any future data center developments will be restricted entirely to industrially zoned property. Because Girard Township currently contains only one designated industrial parcel, township officials noted that the ordinance effectively caps potential developments to a single site.
The shift highlights a growing trend among local governments utilizing zoning laws to safeguard community resources against the heavy utility and environmental demands associated with the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.
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