The Howell Township Planning Commission is expected to consider a rezoning request Tuesday, Sept. 23, that could greenlight a project worth millions in tax dollars — but some residents believe the benefits don’t outweigh the cost.
The conditional rezoning request from Stantec Consulting Michigan and Randee LLC includes numerous parcels east of Handy Township along Marr Road, Fleming Road, Warner Road and Owosso Road, according to the meeting packet. The total project stretches over 1,000 acres.
The parcels, according to the applicant, would be combined and developed as a single-story data processing facility, including offices, data centers and infrastructure. According to the applicant, noise and lighting mitigation strategies are already being considered, and developers are committed to covering all infrastructure costs necessary to support the project — including roadway, water, wastewater, fiber and electrical, to ensure the community isn’t financially burdened.
The applicant also intends to implement water efficient and sustainability practices, including recycling water through cooling systems before discharge, landscaping with native vegetation to reduce irrigation needs, and capturing rainwater on-site. In keeping with local concerns about large-scale solar or wind energy projects, developers are also committed to keeping both off the site.
The complex, according to the meeting packet, would make a Fortune 100 technology company (which hasn’t been officially identified) the largest taxpayer in Livingston County after the first phase of construction. Long-term, developers said, the center would likely contribute more than several of the region’s largest taxpayers combined.
The project would also create hundreds of jobs, according to the meeting packet, from technicians to administrative support to project and tech managers. The company’s annual grants program would provide direct funding to schools, nonprofits and community organizations.
During their meeting Sept. 23, commissioners are expected to hear from community members on the project, consider a recommendation of approval to the Howell Township Board of Trustees, and consider an ordinance change that properly defines data centers.
According to various emails from residents and community organizations, public support on the project is split, with detractors worried about property values, environmental impact, and the ongoing reliability of local energy and water.
Meanwhile, supporters are focused on economic benefits.
“My name is Ryan Van Gilder, and I am both a farmer and the landowner of the property being considered for this technology campus,” one letter reads. “My family’s home farm has been the center of our lives for generations, and I want to be clear — deciding to even consider selling it was not something we took lightly. Farming is who we are, and this land is deeply personal to us.
“What made us open to this conversation were the extraordinary benefits this project brings to our entire community. This is not just another development — it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to welcome one of the largest and most respected companies in the world to our hometown. The scale of this investment is unprecedented: more than a billion dollars poured directly into Livingston County.
“For our municipalities, this project provides resources they’ve never had before — tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue to strengthen schools, improve roads, and support fire and police. It means a stronger financial foundation for local government to serve residents without asking taxpayers to carry the entire burden. For small businesses, it means the chance to grow and thrive in a more stable local economy.”
Van Gilder said much of the opposition he’s heard “is (based on) misinformation, fueled by a small group of neighbors worried about their property values.”
Those neighbors, however, have shared numerous links to articles and investigations on data centers, many of which cite serious environmental concerns.
“Any temporary boost to our tax base will quickly deteriorate the rest of the base in the coming years — it’s not worth it,” wrote locals Angela and Marshel Barbash.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at 3525 Byron Road.
— Cassandra Lybrink is the local editor of The Livingston Daily. Contact her at clybrink@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Applicant says proposed data center would be largest taxpayer in Livingston County
Reporting by Cassandra Lybrink, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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