Township Board Meeting

8196 Broadmoor Avenue SE

Township Board Meeting

8196 Broadmoor Avenue SE

Township Board Meeting

• Resolution extending temporary moratorium on applications for zoning and building of data centers until October 17, 2026

Comments

• Request to form a citizen's commission to research and present data information used to form new ordinances on data centers

Planning Commission

Comments

• Request to form of a citizen's commission

• One year moratorium on any application or the building of data centers from the October 17, 2026 date

• Ballot initiative concerning data centers being built in our community

• Statistics given about the power and water usage of data centers

• Effects of data center on the community of Dowagiac MI

• Update Master Plan to Heavy Industrial Usage for data centers

Planning Commission response to comments

• Recommend extension of moratorium with 3 month increments

Township Board Meeting

Public Comments

• Request of a one year moratorium from the Oct. 17, 2026 date for all data center applications and construction

• Future land use goals: The land on 68th Street between Cherry Valley and M37 is currently agricultural. The Future Land Use plan would designate it as ‘light industrial’ which would open the door to a data center. Better designation would be ‘mixed use’. Ordinance should be made to put data centers under ‘heavy industrial’.

• Why wasn’t the 3 month  moratorium extension recommendation from the planning commission not brought before the board tonight?
  Note: This is not on the Planning Commission’s July 20th minutes either

• Explanation of the 24/7 noise pollution from large fans getting rid of heat build up in a data center. (The community of Dowagiac, MI now has this constant noise. It can be found on YouTube)

Meeting Notes

• No Non Disclosure Agreement has been signed in Caledonia as stated by the Caledonia Township board

• A data center developer did come in to the office at some point but the property was not the right fit

• Trustee Robertson expressed a need to update the Master Plan since data included is from 1984. He also recommended extending the moratorium to data center construction to one year to work on updating the Master Plan

Supervisor Harrison's Comments

• New industrial design standards should dissuade data centers from wanting to build in Caledonia

• Long moratoriums leave communities open to litigation from data center companies

Planning Commission Meeting

• At the last Planning Commission meeting, an additional 3 month moratorium on data center applications was made. What is the status of this? (Lynee Wells responded by saying that the extension has been referred to the board’s lawyer to establish when and if the additional moratorium can be enacted)

• A question for discussion on the Land Division Act. With the site Condo, what is the oversight on  how the land is divided to preserve our wetlands? Explanation of how splits work?

Commission Discussion

• There was an initial overview by Lynee Wells of the changes to land divisions by the state that goes into effect in March. This will be discussed further and how it will impact the Caledonia area.

Planning Commission Meeting

Public Comments:

• A mother of a future Dutton Preschooler requested the commission to influence the Gaines board to regulate atonal noise of the proposed data center that would affect Dutton students

• Greg Comegys related his experience of stopping in Dowagiac MI and the noise their data center sends out 24/7. He heard a screeching, whining noise that measured 90ev. decibels. A security guard escorted him to his car even though he was well outside of the data center’s perimeter.

• Kailee from Graymoor requested that the Master Plan be updated and that the property on 68th street across from the Davenport complex be designated as ‘mixed use’. She also handed out an information sheet to the commission that was signed by a number of residents.

• Deb Steketee commented on the noise section of the proposed ordinance and deemed it inadequate. She was also told by the PC Chair that there would be no opportunity for citizen comments during the data center ordinance discussion "because this was not a public hearing. " She handed out an excerpt from a model ordinance with very specific guidelines to address the noise issue. This can be found in our RESOURCES section.

Meeting Notes - Topics of Discussion:

• size of building requirements

• noise restrictions from 9-5 (although data centers run 24/7)

• designate data center by light industrial vs special land use

• landscaping requirements

• another draft is needed, they have a long way to go

Extended Public Comments:

• Greg Comegys spoke about the infrasound emanating from data centers that can cause physical ailments and cannot be blocked by walls since it vibrates through the ground A new design is needed to eliminate this damaging noise. Another reason for a moratorium to give technology a chance to catch up and solve this problem.

• Melissa raised several concerns: 24/7 noise from the data centers with infrasound having major health impacts. What is the time lapse to decommission a data center? What happened to the 3 month extension of the moratorium?

• Danielle requested the Caledonia board’s help with regulating Gaines data center for her Dutton student

• Deb Steketee requested a need for a public workshop with responses to community questions. Asked the attorney for the board whether any experts were consulted in drafting the ‘noise’ section of the proposed ordinance. He did not respond and looked to the PC Chair who reiterated that no questions will be answered.

• Commission asked about an additional 3 month extension and was told the request recommendation has been sent to the Township Board.

Township Board Meeting

Public Comments:

• A Caledonia resident requested a four way stop at the corner of 76th Street and Cherry Valley. The board recommended referring the request to the county road commission.

• A Caledonia resident was hoping to find the 3 month moratorium extension for data center applications that the planning commission unanimously to the board on June 15th. The board responded that the request will probably be considered at one of the September board meetings.

Extended Public Comments

• A Caledonia resident requested the board to adopt a formal resolution committing to a full and timely update of the township Master Plan the relies on very outdated data. While the Master Plan is being updated, the resident also requested a year moratorium on all data center applications and building.

• A Caledonia resident questioned why the full packet of board materials was not available on line. The board responded that due to recent fraudsters, they have temporarily suspended this practice. Information can be emailed to you if requested. She also voiced concerns that at the most recent Planning Commission meeting there was no opportunity for the commission to provide answers to questions that the community members had, especially relating to other proposed data center ordinance. A request was made to convene a public workshop be scheduled to get answers to questions and have constructive dialogue.

Board Comments

• Dr Robertson agreed with the need to update the township Master Plan. He looked at the Masters Plans from 2000. 2015 and 2024 and found many sections that were identical even though our community changed drastically during that time period.

Township Board Meeting

Manager duties/ progress on new manager search:

• A vote was taken to compensate Stephanie for taking on additional administrative and operational tasks previously undertaken by the Township manager 

• Bryan Harrison is taking over the majority of the manager’s duties until a new manager is hired

• The Personnel Committee of the Board has met but did not set a timeline or framework to begin the search

• Trustees will be reached by email to give input on job description and compensation.

A resolution extending the temporary moratorium on applications for zoning and building review with respect to data centers and digital mining uses was approved by the board.

• The moratorium has been extended to 2-17-27 or the adoption of a new zoning ordinance

• It was extended 4 months from prior end date on advice from counsel. Moratorium extensions can continue to be approved.

• The Michigan Township Association’s model ordinance for data centers has been received. It will now be compared with Caledonia’s draft ordinance to address gaps. 

Comments

Deb Steketee:

• Referenced the Township supervisor’s commitment to host a public workshop, asking when that would be scheduled.

• Indicated that the township should be hiring experts to review and provide input for the Planning Commission data center ordinance

• Continued to advocate for a review of the Master Plan. It is very out of date and there has been a great deal of change to land use and demographics in Caledonia.

• Stated that the decommissioning of the data centers needs to be adequately addressed in the draft ordinance. They only have a 15 year life.
  

Board Comments:

• There will be a public safety fair October 24 from 10-1

• Public workshops will be scheduled when the Planning Commission has something to discuss. This will include public education and discussion to identify where additional expertise is needed

• Master Plan update: It is on the list but the board is focused on other priorities.

• Crissman Shagbark farm update: The survey is completed, the appraisal is next.

• Discussions are ongoing regarding property by the 84th St dam owned by the Andronaco family.