By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Township Board authorized the Planning Commission to begin reviewing how the Planning Commission can be prepared if a data center developer becomes interested in obtaining property in the township for a data center at its regular meeting June 9.
Climax Township Clerk Sarah DeBoer said the Township Board asked Planning Commission member Joel Amos, who attended the June 9 meeting, to ask the Planning Commission to begin reviewing ordinances relating to data centers.
DeBoer said currently there are no indications Climax Township is a target for a developer to install a data center.
DeBoer distributed an email from the law firm Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith PC that offered insight how a municipality can be prepared if a developer becomes interested in building a data center.
The email points out data center developers are looking for sites in rural and semi-rural communities. The email adds data center developers are looking for cheap land, access to power infrastructure and local governments that have not yet adopted regulations for this type of use.
The law firm points out many municipalities have adopted moratoriums to buy time while regulations are developed. The email adds some municipalities may not have developer inquiries yet and may feel less urgency, noting in their opinion the best time to write the rules is before an application is submitted. “Reacting to a pending application is harder, more expensive, and more politically charged than planning ahead,” the law firm points out in the email.
The law firm said data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and potentially water. The email adds data centers generate noise, heat, and light on a scale that most zoning ordinances were never designed to address.
The law firm alleges data centers can strain local infrastructure, change the character of surrounding areas and raise legitimate public safety concerns.
The communication from Foster Swift adds a general industrial use classification will not give a planning commission or board the tools it needs to protect the community while still allowing responsible development.
The email reviewed 22 bullet points what a data center ordinance should address.
The law firm adds if a municipality needs time to develop regulations, a moratorium is a legitimate and well established tool. A moratorium gives a municipality an immediate pause on data center development while a longer-term zoning amendment works its way through the planning commission process.
The Charleston Township Planning Commission distributed information about a moratorium ordinance relating to a data center at a public hearing May 26 that the Planning Commission is expected to consider at its June 16 meeting along with storage units, and battery centers.
In another item covered at the June 9 meeting:
• The Township Board unanimously approved (4-0, Bates absent) to adopt Resolution 2026-05 allowing the Climax Township Fire Department to participate in the Kalamazoo County Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division effective June 9, 2026 with the Chief Executive Official being township supervisor Trent Piper.
According to the unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes, the approved resolution and contract allows the Climax Township Fire Department to call additional resources in large emergency situations like a train derailment.
• The unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes note the Township Board unanimously approved a motion to allow Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith to apply for a FEMA grant for Air Packs. The Fire Department would pay 10 percent of the $240,000 cost if the grant is approved. The grant is due June 22. Climax Township is applying with Kalamazoo Township with Climax being the fiduciary, according to the draft meeting minutes.
• It was noted the Climax Township Board will have a Trash Drop off Day July 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Scotts Elementary School. Village of Climax residents are eligible to utilize this service. This is a drop off site only.
• According to the unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes, the Township Board unanimously approved a fireworks permit for Joyce and Greg Stewart for July 3, 2026.
• According to the June 9, 2026 unapproved draft meeting minutes, the Township Board considered a resolution pertaining to the Midwest Tandem Rally Route that will go through a portion of Climax Township. The unapproved meeting minutes state the Board is reluctant to sign the resolution because it does not want to assume liability.
The Climax Township Board authorized the Planning Commission to begin reviewing how the Planning Commission can be prepared if a data center developer becomes interested in obtaining property in the township for a data center at its regular meeting June 9.
Climax Township Clerk Sarah DeBoer said the Township Board asked Planning Commission member Joel Amos, who attended the June 9 meeting, to ask the Planning Commission to begin reviewing ordinances relating to data centers.
DeBoer said currently there are no indications Climax Township is a target for a developer to install a data center.
DeBoer distributed an email from the law firm Foster, Swift, Collins, and Smith PC that offered insight how a municipality can be prepared if a developer becomes interested in building a data center.
The email points out data center developers are looking for sites in rural and semi-rural communities. The email adds data center developers are looking for cheap land, access to power infrastructure and local governments that have not yet adopted regulations for this type of use.
The law firm points out many municipalities have adopted moratoriums to buy time while regulations are developed. The email adds some municipalities may not have developer inquiries yet and may feel less urgency, noting in their opinion the best time to write the rules is before an application is submitted. “Reacting to a pending application is harder, more expensive, and more politically charged than planning ahead,” the law firm points out in the email.
The law firm said data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and potentially water. The email adds data centers generate noise, heat, and light on a scale that most zoning ordinances were never designed to address.
The law firm alleges data centers can strain local infrastructure, change the character of surrounding areas and raise legitimate public safety concerns.
The communication from Foster Swift adds a general industrial use classification will not give a planning commission or board the tools it needs to protect the community while still allowing responsible development.
The email reviewed 22 bullet points what a data center ordinance should address.
The law firm adds if a municipality needs time to develop regulations, a moratorium is a legitimate and well established tool. A moratorium gives a municipality an immediate pause on data center development while a longer-term zoning amendment works its way through the planning commission process.
The Charleston Township Planning Commission distributed information about a moratorium ordinance relating to a data center at a public hearing May 26 that the Planning Commission is expected to consider at its June 16 meeting along with storage units, and battery centers.
In another item covered at the June 9 meeting:
• The Township Board unanimously approved (4-0, Bates absent) to adopt Resolution 2026-05 allowing the Climax Township Fire Department to participate in the Kalamazoo County Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Division effective June 9, 2026 with the Chief Executive Official being township supervisor Trent Piper.
According to the unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes, the approved resolution and contract allows the Climax Township Fire Department to call additional resources in large emergency situations like a train derailment.
• The unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes note the Township Board unanimously approved a motion to allow Climax Township Fire Chief Scott Smith to apply for a FEMA grant for Air Packs. The Fire Department would pay 10 percent of the $240,000 cost if the grant is approved. The grant is due June 22. Climax Township is applying with Kalamazoo Township with Climax being the fiduciary, according to the draft meeting minutes.
• It was noted the Climax Township Board will have a Trash Drop off Day July 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Scotts Elementary School. Village of Climax residents are eligible to utilize this service. This is a drop off site only.
• According to the unapproved June 9, 2026 draft meeting minutes, the Township Board unanimously approved a fireworks permit for Joyce and Greg Stewart for July 3, 2026.
• According to the June 9, 2026 unapproved draft meeting minutes, the Township Board considered a resolution pertaining to the Midwest Tandem Rally Route that will go through a portion of Climax Township. The unapproved meeting minutes state the Board is reluctant to sign the resolution because it does not want to assume liability.
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