Data Center: News, Information & Resource Center for Novi MI
Who decides where data centers go near Novi — zoning and planning, the local elected board, the county, the state utility commission, and environmental permits — plus what is on file and reporting from across the HERE network.
Who Decides on Data Centers Near Novi
DATA CENTER: NEWS, INFORMATION & RESOURCE CENTER FOR NOVI
The closest data-center fight to Novi sits just across the city's western line in Lyon Township, and the wider metro story runs through Washtenaw and Wayne counties.
A data center in or near Novi would first need local land-use approval through City of Novi, and Oakland County weighs in on land outside city limits and on tax incentives. The Michigan Public Service Commission is the state utility regulator; it reviews rates and large-customer power contracts for the utilities it oversees. Air and water permits come from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
National context: Federal energy researchers estimate data centers used about 4.4% of all U.S. electricity in 2023 and could use 6.7% to 12% by 2028, which is why utility commissions, local boards, and voters are now central to where these campuses land. U.S. Department of Energy report
What’s on file near Novi
- Lyon Charter Township, Oakland County, next door to NoviProject Flex, a proposed 1.8 million-square-foot, six-building data center on 172 industrially zoned acres near Milford Road south of Grand River Avenue, won conditional Planning Commission approval in September 2025. As neighbors organized, the township adopted a six-month moratorium on new data-center applications in March 2026 that does not cover Project Flex, and residents filed recall petitions against the Board of Trustees. The developer has offered about $10 million in township-administered community funds and filed a sixth site plan in October 2026, with Planning Commission review expected Nov. 9.
- Ohio spillover watchOn Nov. 3, 2026, Ohio voters in 18 municipalities decided 21 local data-center measures, more than half of the 41 on ballots nationwide, and every Ohio result went against new data-center development, from outright bans to voter-approval and financial-guarantee rules. With that many Ohio doors closing at once, developers hunting for power, land, and water are expected to look harder at southeast Michigan and the I-94 and I-96 corridors, which is why the decisions below matter here.
- Washtenaw County breakdownFor the Augusta Township vote and the Saline Township power contracts, see the HERE Ann Arbor data center section.
Who decides: zoning, councils, utility regulators & permits
Zoning & Planning
Local Elected Body
County
State Utility Regulator
Electric Utility
Environmental, Water & Air Permits
From across the HERE network
- From HERE LansingOct 31, 2026 · MI
Delhi Township Board Votes Against Proposed Holt Data Center
DELHI TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Three days after regional developers floated a giant data center for Delhi Township, the township board voted 6-0 Friday night to go…
- From HERE LansingOct 29, 2026 · MI
Delhi Township Quits LEAP a Day After $10B Data Center Pitch
DELHI TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Delhi Township has walked away from the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, ending its membership Wednesday, just one day after the regional economic…
- From HERE DetroitOct 20, 2026 · MI
Inkster Data Center Stalls After Packed Council Meeting
INKSTER, Mich. — A plan to turn an empty Inkster warehouse into a data center went nowhere Monday night after residents filled City Hall to speak…
- From HERE LansingOct 18, 2026 · MI
Data Center Legislation Becomes Common Ground
LANSING, Mich. — Two weeks before Michigan votes, data centers have become one of the few subjects where candidates from both parties sound alike: most say…
- From HERE DetroitOct 16, 2026 · MI
Van Buren Township Approves Google Data Center Site Plan
VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Van Buren Township planners gave a 5-1 green light Wednesday to the site layout for a Google computing campus on 282…
- From HERE DetroitOct 16, 2026 · MI
Benson, James Clash Over Data Centers, Taxes in Detroit Debate
DETROIT, Mich. — The two major candidates for Michigan governor met for a second time Thursday night, with Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James trading…
- From HERE RaleighNov 3, 2026 · NC
Raleigh Data Center Expansion Slips in Ahead of Moratorium
RALEIGH, N.C. — A planned data center expansion in west Raleigh will be reviewed under the city’s old rules because the application landed four days before…
- From HERE NashvilleNov 2, 2026 · TN
Tennessee Data Centers Spread as Towns Push Back
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee now has somewhere between 60 and 65 data centers in operation, and a growing list of local governments wants to slow down…
- From HERE SavannahNov 2, 2026 · GA
OpenAI Data Center Plan Up for Vote Tuesday in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Effingham County commissioners meeting in Springfield, Ga., are scheduled to decide Tuesday evening whether to approve site plans for Project Camellia, the large…
The case for and against
The case for data centers
- Contracts that put costs on the developerState regulators say the Saline Township power contracts carry some of the strongest consumer protections in the country and project about $300 million a year in savings for other DTE customers, with the largest users first in line to be cut during grid emergencies. Supporters argue that model lets Michigan host big campuses without shifting the bill to households. Official reference
- Jobs and tax baseThe Saline Township campus has put more than 1,800 skilled tradespeople on site, and its developer expects about 2,500 union construction jobs over the build. In Augusta Township, the developer pitched millions of dollars in tax revenue and new water and sewer lines that more residents could connect to. Official reference
The case against
- Water, noise, and rural characterThe Augusta Township proposal was expected to use more than a million gallons of water a day, mostly for cooling, and neighbors raised noise, light, and farmland concerns. Nearly nine in ten voters said no, the clearest signal yet of how rural Washtenaw County feels about hyperscale campuses. Official reference
- Rate risk and a fast-track approvalThe Attorney General argues the commission approved the Saline contracts without a contested case, that the contracts remain heavily redacted, and that claims of no rate impact have not been tested. That appeal is pending, so the question of who pays if a campus underuses its power or leaves early is still open. Official reference
Updated weekly. Last updated Nov 6, 2026. Election results cited are unofficial until certified.
Data Centers Near Novi: FAQ
Who approves a data center rezoning near Novi?
Rezonings and site plans go through local land-use officials: in Novi that is City of Novi, Lyon Charter Township, with Oakland County handling land outside city limits and county tax incentives. Planning commissions hold public hearings and recommend; the elected board casts the final vote.
Who approves large power contracts for data centers in Michigan?
The Michigan Public Service Commission is the state utility regulator. It reviews rates and the large-customer contracts and tariffs that utilities it oversees propose for data centers.
Which Michigan agency issues environmental permits for a data center?
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) issues the air, water, and wastewater permits a large facility needs, including permits for backup generators.
How can a Novi resident weigh in on a data center?
Speak or submit written comments at planning commission and council or board meetings, where agendas are posted in advance, and file public comments in utility cases at the state commission. The official links on this page go straight to those bodies.
What data center decisions are on file near Novi?
HERE Novi has reporting on file for Lyon Charter Township, Oakland County, next door to Novi. Each entry on this page summarizes what was decided and by whom.
Who runs the power grid serving Novi?
Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) operates the regional grid and studies requests to connect large new loads such as data centers.
Data Center Coverage Across HERE
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