The Gaines Township Planning board has postponed its February 12 public hearing to consider rezoning property for a data center after receiving a letter from Microsoft February 4.
The data center is proposed for a 40-acre parcel of land on Patterson Avenue south of
Grand Rapids.
In the letter, the company requests a delay until late March as its plans continue to evolve regarding the data center’s size, scope and design.
It’s asking for an opportunity to engage with the community to incorporate feedback.
Microsoft’s letter reads, “We are currently organizing a community meeting for early March to share the revised preliminary concepts, answer questions, and listen.”
It notes a commitment to moving forward with the rezoning process as transparently as possible.
A December public hearing was postponed when the number of people showing up to voice concerns exceeded venue capacity.
In a message to WGVU News, a Microsoft spokesperson briefly addressed some of the issues, stating:
"In any future development from Microsoft, you can expect we will pay our own way to ensure our development doesn’t increase residents’ electricity prices, minimize our water use and replenish more than we use, add to the tax base, and strengthen the community by investing in local IT training and nonprofits.”
Microsoft offered a project-specific website, aka.ms/Michigan for information about it's datacenters, frequently asked questions, and discussion of community-first infrastructure approach.
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