Lenox Township, Michigan · Public information
The Lenox Data Center.
A proposed advanced technology and data center campus in Lenox Township's I-94 corridor.
A draft ordinance is currently being considered by the Lenox Township Planning Commission. The campus would sit on existing industrial-corridor land along I-94, and no development applications have yet been submitted. This page is a reference document for residents who want straight answers about what is being proposed and what the draft ordinance would require of any project built under it.
Location
Where the site sits.
The proposed campus sits along the I-94 industrial corridor, bounded on the south by the Lenox Correctional Facility along 26 Mile Road and on the north by the Pine Tree Acres Landfill (~750 acres) along 28 Mile Road. The proposed footprint represents roughly 4% of Lenox Township's total land area.
The two nearest public schools sit approximately one mile from the closest proposed parcel — more than 3× the quarter-mile residential buffer the draft ordinance would require. Of the residential subdivisions in the broader area, only one approaches the buffer distance, and the draft ordinance's setback requirements would govern any actual development.
By the numbers
- ~4%
- share of Lenox Township land area
- 1,320 ft
- minimum building setback from any residence (per draft ordinance)
- ~1 mi
- distance from the nearest public school to the closest proposed parcel
- Tens of millions
- estimated new annual property tax revenue at full buildout, based on comparable campuses elsewhere
Questions
What residents have asked.
The Record
What you may have heard. What the record shows.
Several claims have circulated about the proposed project that are worth getting straight.
“The campus would cover 20 percent of Lenox Township's land.”
In fact: The proposed footprint is approximately 4 percent of the township's total land area. The 20 percent figure has appeared in online posts and public commentary; it isn't accurate.
“Data centers will drain millions of gallons of water a day.”
In fact: Older evaporative-cooling designs do use millions of gallons. The Lenox draft ordinance prohibits those designs. Closed-loop cooling — the only kind permitted — uses about the daily water of 65 homes, roughly 14× less than a typical American golf course.
“The campus would be next to homes and schools.”
In fact: The draft ordinance requires a minimum 1,320-foot (quarter-mile) buffer between any data center building and any residence. The two nearest public schools sit approximately one mile from the closest proposed parcel — more than 3× the required buffer.
“This will raise residential electricity rates.”
In fact: Michigan has hosted large industrial electricity users — auto plants, steel mills, semiconductor fabs — for over a century. The Michigan Public Service Commission's tariff structure requires large users to pay for the grid capacity their demand creates, protecting residential rates from impact. Comparable Michigan data center projects have been structured to reduce costs for existing utility customers, not raise them.
The Ordinance
Sensible rules, before any shovel hits the ground.
The Lenox Township Planning Commission has spent months drafting an ordinance that would govern any data center development within the township. The provisions below would apply to any project built under it.
- 01
1,320-ft residential buffer
Minimum separation between any data center building and any residence — a full quarter mile.
- 02
Strict noise limits
55 dBA daytime / 45 dBA nighttime at the property line, with independent pre- and post-construction acoustic studies required.
- 03
Closed-loop cooling required
High-water-use evaporative designs are prohibited. Daily water use comparable to about 65 homes.
- 04
EPA Tier 4 generators
The strictest federal emissions standard for stationary generators, with dispersion modeling required near schools, parks, or hospitals.
- 05
125% decommissioning bond
Cleanup is funded before construction begins, not after.
- 06
Annual public reporting
Energy, water, noise, and generator hours on the public record every year.
- 07
Traffic study required
A licensed engineer's traffic impact study is required before approval. Road improvements identified by that study are paid for by the developer, not by residents. Once operating, a data center generates among the lowest daily traffic of any large land use — typically 20–50 vehicle trips per day.
- 08
Hazardous materials plan required
Submission of a full hazardous materials management plan is required at site plan review, covering battery storage, transformer secondary containment, used cooling fluid handling, and emergency response coordination with local fire and police.
- 09
Cooling reservoir containment
Where cooling water reservoirs are used, they must include triple-layer clay liners sized for 2.5× the operational containment capacity. This is a higher containment standard than required for most industrial uses.
A Precedent