COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater city officials are in the process of trying to make the community as unattractive as possible to potential developers of data centers.
This comes after a joint session on August 19 involving Coldwater government boards. They heard a presentation that evening on data centers from Jean Hardy of Michigan State University whose research centers on the role of technology in rural economic and community development.
City Planner Robert Hawley told the Coldwater Planning Commission on Monday night they and their consultants from McKenna and Associates are currently working on zoning ordinance amendments that would define data centers.
Mayor Tom Kramer emphasized there was no desire among City Council members to bring a data center to Coldwater.
But Kramer added that by law, they have to offer something to potential developers.
A draft could be presented to the Planning Commission on November 16 with a public hearing possibly taking place in December.
Hardy said in August that the backlash across the state from communities opposing data centers has now caused those companies to rethink the prospects of building new facilities in the state.
In other business, the Planning Commission approved a new Master Plan and sent it on to the City Council for final approval. It was compiled after a year of community surveys, steering committee meetings, and focus groups. The Master Plan for Coldwater has not been updated since 2017. It outlines goals and infrastructure strategies to guide the future growth of Coldwater.
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