Howell Township data center proposal withdrawn amid moratorium

In December 2025, Randee LLC and Stantec Consulting Michigan Inc. formally withdrew their rezoning application for a $1 billion data center campus on 1,077 acres in Howell Township, Michigan. The move follows intense community opposition and a six-month township moratorium on new data center developments.

Project Background

The proposed campus was to host large-scale computing and storage facilities. It would rely on high-capacity power feeds and significant water for cooling operations. Randee LLC led the project, with engineering and design support from Stantec Consulting Michigan Inc.. Public records offer little detail on Randee’s ownership or partners. A prior proposal had drawn attention for its scale and potential impacts.

Timeline of Local Decisions

The planning process began in summer 2025. On September 23, 2025, the Howell Township Planning Commission voted to reject the rezoning application. The next day, the Livingston County Commission passed a nonbinding motion opposing the project. In response, the Township Board on November 20 imposed a six-month moratorium on data center zoning changes, pausing all new applications through May 2026.

Community Opposition

Resident groups rallied against the proposal. The Livingston County Residents for Responsible Development led expert testimony on environmental and infrastructure risks. Activist Cory Alchin organized a petition that garnered over 3,700 signatures. Neighbors raised concerns at public hearings about noise, traffic, and the loss of farmland.

Moratorium Details

The six-month moratorium bars any new data center rezoning or building permits. Township Treasurer Jonathan Hohenstein explained it gives officials time to draft clear regulations. “Developers may resubmit once we have standards in place,” he said. The pause also allows environmental reviews focused on water resources and grid impacts.

Concerns Over Water and Energy

Howell Township sits on an agricultural aquifer that feeds local wells. Residents warned that large data centers can draw millions of gallons daily for cooling. On the energy side, the region’s utility, DTE Electric, serves a peak load of 9.5 GW with 11 GW capacity. Data center proposals statewide have sought roughly 7 GW of new power. Planners worry this demand could drive up rates or force reliance on fossil-fuel generation during shortages.

Broader Regional Context

Michigan has become a hotspot for data center investment. Utilities have fielded requests for more than 7 GW of new capacity, mostly tied to AI and cloud infrastructure. Other townships have faced similar debates over water rights, noise ordinances, and energy reliability. Following Howell’s example, at least ten communities have reached out to share lessons on moratoria and zoning safeguards.

Next Steps for Howell Township

Over the moratorium period, township planners will work with residents and technical experts to draft permanent data center regulations. Topics on the table include maximum water withdrawals, energy-use limits, noise controls and setbacks from residences. After May 2026, developers may revise and resubmit their applications under the new rules.

Implications for Rural Data Center Development

Howell Township’s pause reflects a growing trend of community-driven oversight in rural tech projects. On one hand, data centers bring jobs and local tax revenue. On the other, they pose resource and infrastructure challenges that small towns may struggle to absorb. As we’ve seen, organized opposition and clear regulatory frameworks can shape outcomes long before shovels hit the ground.

By withdrawing their application, Randee LLC and Stantec acknowledged the need for local buy-in. Going forward, developers and communities will likely negotiate terms that balance investment with environmental and grid reliability goals.

As this case shows, rural townships can pause large projects, address concerns and then set standards that guide future development. For Michigan and beyond, Howell Township offers a model on how to align data center growth with local sustainability priorities.