Saline Township Board Approves Consent Agreement to Avoid Lawsuit, Awaits Response

The Saline Township Board approved a consent agreement in hopes of avoiding a lawsuit with the people behind the proposed data center on the west end of the township.

All but Supervisor Jim Marion approved the agreement. The board now awaits the response from Related Digital.

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The vote came after more than two hours in closed session with the planning commission and attorneys Fred Lucas and David Landry.

When the meeting reopened, Landry explained that negotiations had been held between the lawyers to reach a consent judgment resolving the dispute. The developer's proposal was presented to the board. The board made some changes to the developer's proposal:

• Use restrictions. The property can only be used for a data center and agriculture. 146 acres of the 575-acre parcel could be used for agriculture. The property can not be enlarged.
• The company will obtain power from DTE and cannot construct a power operating facility on the property. DTE has assured the township that it has the resources to power the facility.
• The data center will not use high water evaporative cooling. There will not be high use of water. This addresses concerns about the aquifer and water table. They will limit water to the restrooms, humidity, landscaping, and fire protection, if necessary, and general maintenance.
• If wells on neighboring properties run dry or if ponds run dry as a result of this property's water usage, the data center would have to pay to fix the wells. Monitoring wells will be installed around the property.
• The property will be screened with burms. Ingress and egress will be only off Michigan Avenue. A secondary emergency access will be off Braun Road only for emergency purposes. If the 160 acres of property is used for farming, farm traffic can enter off of Braun.
• The property will have its own sewage disposal system. The water system will be owned by the township for tax purposes; however, the company will be responsible for building, maintaining, and paying for its upkeep. There will be no cost to the township.
• The developers offered $2 million for a farmland preservation trust fund. The township is asking for $4 million.
• The developer is offering $2 million for a community investment fund that can be used for community projects, township buildings, children's buildings, and maintenance of cemeteries.
• The company was offering $5 million to invest in the fire department in trucks, facilities and more. The board proposal would be for $8 million. $7 million for the Saline Area Fire Department and $500,000 each for the Clinton and Manchester departments.
• The developer will provide temporary parking on-site during construction to help prevent traffic from queuing. All semis and construction equipment would have to use US-12 and stay away from unpaved roads.
• If the data center is unused for five years, the developer must restore the land to a natural area. They will post a bond of 5-10 million for that purpose.

Both Lucas and Landry emphasized that the developer must agree to the terms.

"This may be a moot point if they don't accept what we have presented to them," Lucas said.

Trustee Tom Hammond moved to approve the consent judgment with the terms outlined by the attorneys. It was seconded by Clerk Kelly Marion. Treasure Jennifer Zink and Trustee Dean Marion also voted yes. Supervisor Jim Marion voted no.

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