Article

The Sterling Heights City Council will vote on a proposed one-year moratorium on the establishment of new data centers at its meeting on February 3. City Planner Jake Parcell has requested the resolution to allow time for the planning and legal departments to develop new zoning regulations.

Currently, Sterling Heights is considered unsuitable for large data facilities, but smaller enterprise and colocation data centers may emerge as extensions of larger hyperscale centers. While no inquiries for new data centers have been received, smaller centers could be permitted without specific regulatory standards.

Concerns about data centers have arisen in Southeast Michigan, including issues related to aesthetics, electrical usage, water consumption, noise, and light pollution. Data processing centers have been a permitted use in five zoning districts since 1978.