Pontiac MI data center moratorium (2026)
Pontiac, MI — City Council Data Center Moratorium (Adopted January 2026 for Six Months; Now Set to Expire in January 2027)
Pontiac, MI · Pontiac, Mich. City Council data center moratorium (Jan. 2026; reported in Sept. 2026 as expiring in January)
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- Data center developers in Pontiac
- Enforced by
- City of Pontiac
Pontiac's City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development in January 2026 to study effects on public health, utilities and infrastructure. As of late September 2026 the moratorium was reported to expire in January, and a council committee is racing to write a data center ordinance covering water and air quality, utilities and noise before then. Councilman Mikal Goodman notes that Michigan law does not let cities ban data centers outright.
Who is protected: Pontiac residents
Legal detail
Pontiac, Mich. (Oakland County). ADOPTION: City Council unanimously approved a six-month data center moratorium to study public health, utility and infrastructure impacts (Planet Detroit roundup, Jan 25, 2026, citing The Detroit News 'Pontiac latest community to pass data center moratorium', Jan 21, 2026); Mayor Mike McGuinness cited inquiries after his November election; Councilman Mikal Goodman unsuccessfully pushed for 12 months. CURRENT TERM: WXYZ (late Sept 2026; Bing News feed date Sept 25, page shows no date) reports the moratorium 'expires in January,' which implies it was extended beyond the original six months; the extension's date and terms were not found. PENDING: council special committee on data centers (Goodman) drafting an ordinance on utilities paid for by operators, no diesel backup generators, water and air quality, and noise; a city map shows areas where data centers could go once the moratorium lifts. NOT ESTABLISHED: exact adoption date, extension action, exact expiry date.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Pontiac, MI |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Citation | Pontiac, Mich. City Council data center moratorium (Jan. 2026; reported in Sept. 2026 as expiring in January) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · government use of AI |
| News report | Pontiac's data center moratorium expires in January, and the city is racing to set rules — WXYZ (Sept. 25, 2026) |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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