The dispute about a new data center in Saline Township, located in rural Michigan, moved from the town hall to the courthouse last week. The move escalated a months-long clash between residents resistant to industrial growth and a developer promising tax windfalls and modern infrastructure.
In mid-September, landowners and an affiliate of Related Digital, a data center development platform, filed suit in Washtenaw County Circuit Court after the Saline Township Board voted 4–1 to reject a rezoning request covering 575 acres of farmland north of Michigan Avenue.
The plan would reserve roughly 250 acres for a hyperscale data center, with the balance remaining open space. The complaint argues the township’s denial amounts to exclusionary zoning under the Michigan Constitution—an unlawful attempt to block legitimate land use.
Negotiations and Concessions
Related Digital is owned by Related Companies, whose founder, Stephen Ross, called the board’s decision an “arbitrary refusal” that blocks landowners from making a reasonable choice for their property. The developer says it still hopes to reach an agreement with local officials.
The legal filing reflects how quickly data center construction has become a source of dispute across Michigan. Multiple projects are under consideration in neighboring townships, and grassroots groups are organizing around worries about power demand and pressure on local water resources. Even supporters who welcome new revenue are asking for detailed plans on infrastructure readiness.
Related Digital has tried to blunt those concerns. Negotiations between the township and the company have yielded concessions: Related Digital pledged not to use a water-intensive cooling system and to post a decommissioning bond so the site could be dismantled and returned to prior condition if the facility closes. The developer also pointed to grid proximity as a supporting factor, noting that multiple 345-kilovolt transmission lines with unused capacity cross the property, a rare setup for hyperscale sites.
Pros and Cons
Supporters of the proposed site tout the financial benefits. Related Digital’s CEO said the data complex would roughly quadruple Saline Township’s tax revenue, sending larger checks to local schools and potentially funding public safety upgrades. The developer has indicated that only a short list of major tech tenants could occupy a campus of this scale, though the company has not publicly named a lessee.
Township leaders say the project doesn’t fit with the town’s resources. Treasurer Jennifer Zink, who made the motion to deny, cited the township’s focus on preserving agriculture, particularly the high quality soil in the proposed data center site. Additionally, there’s concern local fire and emergency services are not equipped for a high-risk industrial facility.
Residents have been vocal, and mostly opposed. At a packed meeting that drew more than 100 people, speakers warned about noise, traffic, and light pollution, along with potential water and wildlife impacts. Tim Bruneau, a township resident, labeled the lawsuit bullying by a large corporation and urged officials to fight on.
Clearly, the case captures a larger national tension. Communities want the tax base and jobs promised by digital infrastructure, but they’re also protective of local quality of life and wary of industrial footprints that arrive faster than public services can scale. The case will now be litigated in court, and also, as in communities across the country, in the court of public opinion.
