The Mason Planning Commission is moving ahead with plans to make way for future data centers in the city, despite hearing fierce opposition from residents.
On Tuesday, residents from inside the city limits and neighboring areas packed a public hearing and applauded when commissioners rejected an amended zoning ordinance that would have paved the way for data centers.
But commissioners changed their minds shortly after many of the residents who had opposed the plan had left City Hall. A handful of residents stayed till the end and witnessed the final vote, including Christine Baxter, a Barnes Road resident who made it clear she was not pleased with the final vote.
“Absolutely not. It was very confusing,” said Baxter, one of the residents who left confused after the commission's change of heart. “They had to go back and forth several different times and it seems almost cheated.”
The final proposal included amendments requiring a concrete batch plant for construction materials, a 10 percent onsite production of renewable energy, and power generation for emergency backup for auxiliary purposes from natural gas, not diesel as originally proposed.
Just before the final vote, there was an outburst from one resident who could be heard calling for a recall of the commissioners.
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Though Mason is currently not a site of any data center proposals, city leaders have taken a proactive approach to data centers in response to what is going on in other Michigan communities, according to city mayor Russell Whipple.
Tuesday’s amended proposal sets standards for noise, building height limitations, how much water the data center can use and is intended to preserve the rural look of development sites. Any data center in or near Mason would have to meet those requirements, otherwise it would not get built, Whipple said.
Concerns from residents during the hearing ranged from long-term effects on the environment, air pollution and high noise levels to cancer risks, water-borne diseases and the possible higher costs for residents of building up the city’s electric grid.
Whipple, who supported the measure, said the majority of the people who spoke against the proposed ordinance were from outside of the city.
“I’m not happy that a whole bunch of people who don’t live in Mason feel it’s appropriate to come into Mason and then tell us how to run our city, but I am happy that we’re moving forward and, hopefully, the council will move forward and get this ordinance enacted so we’re protected at some level in case somebody comes forward to do a data center,” he said.
Drew Bradford, a Mason resident, expressed his concern to commissioners over cancer risks, water-borne diseases, and the effects that high levels of noise from data centers could have on wildlife and nearby residents.
“I don’t want data centers in Mason,” Bradford said after witnessing the final vote. “That’s all I have to say at this point. I don’t want any data centers in Mason.”
The commission’s recommendation now moves to the Mason City Council which meets next Monday.