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I have no idea what will happen Monday when the Howell Township Board meets with just one thing on the agenda: the rezoning of over a thousand acres of land to clear the way for a hyper scale data center for an unknown company (said to be Meta by one Howell Township Board member.)
The data center proposal is so controversial that the meeting is set for the Howell High School auditorium to accommodate what will surely be a standing-room-only crowd, deservedly so. This is the biggest single development ever pitched for Livingston County; it’s also one that will forever change the character of the community in a way from which there is absolutely no going back.
Make no mistake: if approved, this will be the largest project ever developed in Livingston County. The estimated $1 billion initial capital investment will immediately make it the county’s largest taxpayer. Proponents tout its possible financial benefits, while opponents cite concerns about rising electricity rates, the strain on the area’s water supply, light and sound pollution, and the fact that it doesn’t fit into the master plan…