Ypsilanti MI proposed data center zoning amendment (2026)
Ypsilanti, MI — Proposed Zoning Text Amendment Regulating Data Centers (Size Tiers, Special Land Use, Open-Loop Cooling Ban, Utility-Only Water) Presented to City Council (September 2026)
Ypsilanti, MI · City of Ypsilanti, Mich. — proposed data center zoning text amendment (presented Sept. 15, 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Data center developers in the City of Ypsilanti, if adopted
- Enforced by
- City of Ypsilanti Planning / City Council
The City of Ypsilanti is considering permanent zoning rules for data centers. The proposal creates three categories — accessory, small and large — with small and large data centers allowed only as special land uses; small ones are capped at 20,000 square feet, five megawatts and 20,000 gallons per day of cooling water. It would ban open-loop water cooling, require all water to come from the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority with no groundwater or surface-water withdrawals or discharges, set setbacks and design standards, require decommissioning and emergency plans, and lower allowed noise at night. The Planning Commission held a hearing in August and the council heard a presentation on September 15; a first reading has not yet occurred.
Who is protected: City of Ypsilanti residents
Legal detail
Proposed zoning text amendment. Planning Commission public hearing 2026-08-19 (The Sun Times News). City Council presentation 2026-09-15 (Eastern Echo): tiers — accessory (subordinate/incidental), small (≤20,000 sq ft, ≤5 MW annually, ≤20,000 gal/day cooling water, ≥2.5 acres) and large (above thresholds, ≥5 acres), small/large as special land uses; setbacks 75 ft side/100 ft rear; 60% max lot coverage; 20% tree canopy at maturity; 40% windows/doors per elevation, no blank wall >50 ft; application must include draft development agreement, operations narrative, environmental site assessment, emergency operation plan, decommissioning plan; open-loop cooling prohibited; water only from YCUA; no groundwater/wetland/river/stream withdrawals or discharges; noise complaints may be checked by an acoustical study or decibel reading at the property line Councilor Amber Fellows: originally a first reading, now a presentation with more input sessions before first reading; ordinances need two readings. Next council meeting 2026-10-06. NOT ESTABLISHED: first-reading date; noise limits in decibels.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Ypsilanti, MI |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Citation | City of Ypsilanti, Mich. — proposed data center zoning text amendment (presented Sept. 15, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | None — proposed |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Ypsilanti officials consider data center ordinance proposal — The Eastern Echo |
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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