FRANKENLUST TWP., Mich. (WNEM) – Is Bay County’s Frankenlust Township a good place to build a data center?

Frankenlust Township Supervisor Ron Campbell said the township received a series of emails sent by a researcher from Paces. Paces is a company that assists solar developers in identifying suitable land parcels for large-scale solar farm projects.

“Our zoning administrator received the letter,” said Campbell. “And they were just inquiring about our ordinances.”

The researcher requested information pertaining to zoning and renewable energy. The researcher also wanted to know if there were plans to implement a data center ordinance, or if there was currently one in place.

“He replied to them that we have all the ordinances in place except for the data center which the planning commission is currently working on as we speak,” said Campbell.

That work is expected to take months.

“It’s up to the planning commission,” said Campbell. “We have the engineers in place. We have our attorneys in place. So, they need to look at the ordinance, basically study it, figure out what more needs to be in the ordinance, or what they need to take out of the ordinance, or what legally we can do, and then they will go from there. But this is going to be three, four, five, could be up to a six-month process.”

Campbell said the public will have the chance to provide input before the planning commission decides on a data center ordinance.

“Stand by. We’re working on it. Don’t panic. We’re working on it. We got a very good planning commission and they’re looking out for Frankenlust Township.”

Campbell said Frankenlust Township has not received any applications for data centers. He said if that happens, they will consider putting a moratorium in place until an ordinance regarding data centers is finalized by the planning commission.

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