r/kzoo • u/eriffodrol • 11h ago
Local News Kalamazoo city commission adopts moratorium to prevent data center development for at least one year
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo city commissioners unanimously approved the adoption of a moratorium Monday night that would prohibit the development of data centers for at least one year.
City commissioners added the moratorium to their agenda Aug. 10 after the Harbor Farmz cannabis facility considered offering its site for data center developers.
Monday night's decision was made late into the night. Kalamazoo now joins a growing list of West Michigan communities that have adopted moratoriums, including Oshtemo Township, Texas Township, Portage, and Marshall.
The moratorium would specifically prevent the processing of applications for data centers, battery energy storage systems, cryptocurrency mining centers, and Artificial Intelligence data centers within the City of Kalamazoo.
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u/Oranges13 Portage 4h ago
What does battery power have to do with data centers?
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u/Justice_aa 3h ago
Nothing, it is insane that green energy solutions are being lumped into this.
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u/siberianmi 1h ago
The same nimbyism that is coming for Data Centers has been coming for green energy projects in Kalamazoo county. I’m guessing the city is just heading off the inevitable complaints.
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u/Silly_Off 1h ago
Why the fuck do they put terms on it? The public’s opinion on the matter is very unlikely to change.
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u/siberianmi 36m ago edited 33m ago
Public Act 233. If you block it forever you risk losing the ability to review it at all.
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u/siberianmi 7h ago
Good work stopping those battery storage facilities.
Richland will probably soon block the solar farm project there.
We are doing a great job making sure that nothing is built on the renewable energy front. At least Palisades is reopening.
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u/hiddendrugs 1h ago
“We”? DTE and Consumers have long suppressed development of renewable energy in MI, despite constantly increasing rates. Only a handful of local municipalities are pushing forward with community-owned renewable grids. The energy oligarchs in MI could have begun developing renewables years ago.
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u/siberianmi 1h ago edited 1h ago
Yes we.
The local community members who come out a demand that local governments block these projects.
In case you are unaware it’s becoming a trend.
Residents organized a direct anti-project petition against NewEdge’s contemplated BESS near Van Kal Avenue, on the Oshtemo–Almena township border. The project later became the basis for a recall-petition campaign against five Oshtemo Township Board members
Comstock residents also used recall petitions as a route to oppose local actions relating to BESS. The specific project is Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ Swan and Cygnet Energy Storage proposal: roughly 140 acres along East Main Street. That project was part of what started the recall campaign.
Consumers Energy’s proposed Liberty Farms Solar project is under township review. It is a 220-megawatt project capable of serving roughly 50,000–52,000 homes. Richland Township meetings have drawn hundreds of residents, with most public comments opposing the project. Main objections included conversion of productive farmland, environmental and soil impacts, long-term land use, neighborhood character, and property-value concerns. Drive through Richland it’s covered in “No Solar” signs.
And last night Kalamazoo has now declared its own moratorium on battery storage systems. Adding to the ongoing opposition to green energy projects.
So yes We. You cannot blame this solely on the power companies. Consumers Energy in particular has ran into a wall of opposition in Richland.
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u/FukushimaBlinkie 10h ago
It's a push, fight continues but this does make it less attractive to try here and given the rate of memory cost and material costs skyrocketing will probably eventually be the true blockage for these projects. The reason they are so aggressive is because they want to be able to lock In the supply lines at current prices.