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The city of Mason plans to support a property owner’s request to annex nearly 400 acres of farmland that’s currently part of Vevay Township where a developer hopes to place a hyperscale data center.
It comes after the Vevay Township Board voted unanimously last week to not enter into discussions with the city on a conditional land transfer in which both municipalities would share tax revenue from the development.
The proposed data center would be located on land that's currently part of Vevay Township but would use the city of Mason's utilities.
The city says the proposed data center would more than double its tax base.
While the city doesn't plan to pursue annexation itself, Mason City Manager Deborah Stuart said the property owner has a strong case because the land is already covered under a previous agreement between the city and the township.
“This is specifically contractually agreed by both Vevay and the city in a previous agreement for development,” Stuart said. “And so, this idea that it’s not going to be developed is just not accurate.”
Annexation of the land would require state review, but Stuart said Vevay Township cannot oppose annexation because of the previous agreement.
"We support a property owner's right to pursue annexation," Stuart said. "That is their right, and this is an area that is very publicly known, including to landowners in that area, that it is slated for development by both the city and Vevay Township."
Stuart said the city hadn’t publicly discussed the existing agreement out of respect for the township, which the city was hoping to partner with.
