Romulus pauses data center permits for six months
City council unanimously voted to freeze approvals while officials draft new rules for facility size and power use.
By Noor Graham ·
New construction projects for server farms in Romulus, Michigan, face a temporary halt as of Monday. The city council passed a resolution that stops any data center applications from moving forward for the next 180 days. This change applies to every size of facility, not just the largest ones. Residents and local businesses will wait until mid-May for new proposals to be reviewed again.
The move started as a targeted measure. Council members originally wanted to pause only projects that required one gigawatt of electrical demand. That threshold targets the massive industrial facilities common in recent development trends. During the session on November 10, lawmakers expanded the scope. The final vote covered all data centers, regardless of their power draw. The unanimous decision means no dissenting votes from the current council members.
Mayor Robert McCraight explained the strategy behind the pause. The city does not currently host any data centers, and no formal proposals are on the table right now. McCraight said the moratorium buys time for the Planning Commission to do detailed work. The commission will analyze how to measure electrical load and environmental effects. They will also look at how to fit these sites into existing zoning maps. McCraight noted that the city can bring in outside experts during this window.
“It’ll allow a little bit of time to draft an ordinance. It’ll give us some time to pull in some information, pull in some third parties, and give us expert opinions and not just pass legislation, good legislation,” McCraight said. He emphasized that the goal is to create rules that fit local needs rather than copying templates from other cities. The city wants to understand the specific impact of different facility sizes before making permanent decisions.
Public feedback during the process pushed for stricter measures. Resident Kelly Babowicz argued that a pause is not enough protection for the community. “A moratorium on data centers is not sufficient for our city. Instead, we need to push for a complete ban on these facilities,” Babowicz said. Several council members agreed with the sentiment. Kathleen Abdo and William Wadsworth both suggested that an outright ban might be the better long-term policy. They want the research phase to weigh that option seriously.
The research phase will also look at local economic needs. McCraight pointed out that some industry might benefit from smaller data centers. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is a key example of a potential user. “There may be some need for data centers on a smaller level to support industry,” McCraight said. He noted that the airport and related businesses might require specific data infrastructure. The commission will examine these needs alongside the environmental costs.
The 180-day clock starts now. The Planning Commission must deliver its findings before the moratorium expires. Once that report is ready, the council will vote on a permanent ordinance. That ordinance will set the rules for size, location, and power use for all future projects in Romulus. Until that vote happens, no new data center permits will be issued.
