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The Bay City Commission approved a 9-0 vote to initiate the development of standards for data centers, directing the planning and zoning commission to begin this task. Mayor Christopher Girard emphasized the preemptive measure, as there are currently no proposed data centers in the city.

Commissioner Craig Kokaly expressed concerns about potential developments without existing standards, highlighting the need for regulations. While some commissioners raised doubts about the city's capacity to support data centers, others like Mike Walther argued that a data center would have a lower environmental impact compared to existing facilities. Discussions included concerns about PFAS chemicals, with Walther clarifying their relevance to manufacturing rather than data centers.