Published at: 2/2026
This guide is intended to provide Michigan local government officials and planners, particularly those with zoning authority, with the information they need to effectively participate in data
center siting conversations. The first section of this guide provides a basic introduction to the environmental and economic impacts of data centers and links them to the current Michigan policy context. In the second section, we offer planning and zoning recommendations applicable not just to data centers but to a range of industrial land uses. Wherever possible, we draw on
lessons from data center development in other states and from other industrial development, including our own expertise with large-scale renewable energy projects. Since policies, technologies, and best practices for data center siting are rapidly evolving, readers should treat this guide as a working document. We plan to revise it or add supplementary guides as we learn more.