Van Buren Township Approved a 1-Gigawatt Google Data Center 5-1. Officials and the Developer Give Three Different Generator Counts.

On October 14, the Van Buren Township Planning Commission voted 5-1 to approve the final site plan for Project Cannoli. It is a data center campus on 282 acres in Wayne County, Michigan, near Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Panattoni Development Company is the developer, and Google is the company behind it. Reports describe the campus as a 1-gigawatt facility. A gigawatt is 1,000 megawatts.

CBS Detroit reported that Commissioner Bernard Grant cast the no vote. The township's August 19 site plan review recommended approval with conditions. Commissioner Jeffrey Jahr told Planet Detroit the commission had to approve. A data center is a permitted use under township zoning, he said, and the plan met the clear rules.

The vote settles the land-use step. WCSX reported that it lets Panattoni start utility work and site work. It does not settle the disputes over noise, water, backup generators and power costs. The public record also gives conflicting numbers on several of those points. This article shows both sides.

At a Glance

• Item: Final site plan for Project Cannoli, Van Buren Township, Michigan, approved October 14, 2026.
• Vote: 5-1. Commissioner Bernard Grant voted no, per CBS Detroit. The February 11 vote on the first-stage plan was 5-2, with Jackson Pahle and Grant opposed.
• Applicant: PDC AK LPIC, LLC, in care of Panattoni Development Company. The land is owned by Triple Creek Associates LLC.
• Project: Three data buildings, two network service buildings and one office building, on 282.2 acres.
• Power: The Michigan Public Service Commission, the state utility regulator, approved 20-year power contracts with DTE Energy on October 1. DTE Energy is the utility that serves southeast Michigan.
• Water: 2 million to 3.6 million gallons a day from the township system.
• Tax break: On October 1, Wayne County overrode a veto of a tax break. Michigan Advance says it saves Google more than $125 million.
• Public input: Planet Detroit reported more than 2,700 signatures on an online petition against the project.

What the Commission Approved

The township's agenda describes the request from PDC AK LPIC, LLC. It covers three data buildings, one office building and two network service buildings. The site is 282.2 acres. It sits east of Haggerty Road and west of Hannan Road. It is north of the I-94 North Service Drive and south of Wayne County Community College and I-275.

The township's August 19 review says the six buildings have a combined footprint of 973,247 square feet. Fishbeck, a firm that reviews plans for the township, lists more parts. They include a high-voltage substation, stormwater ponds, truck docks, equipment yards, fire water tanks and a pump house. Bridge Michigan and WCSX report that the buildings, parking, substation and yards cover 150 acres, and the rest stays open space.

The August 19 review said to approve it, with conditions. The review asked the commission to approve two parking exceptions. One is 442 more spaces than the township's maximum for the office building. The other is 619 fewer spaces than the minimum for Buildings 1, 2 and 3 and the two network buildings. The review also said lighting around Building 2 must be reduced and more accessible parking spaces added.

The fire marshal, Deputy Chief Andrew Lenaghan, approved the plan with conditions. His letter says firefighters cannot easily reach the roofs with a ladder truck because of the setbacks and building height. It says interior stairwells may be needed. The switching station had its own first-stage approval on May 13. CBS Detroit reported that the commission also approved it on October 14. Grant voted no on both.

The Power Deal

The campus needs power from DTE Energy. On October 1, the Michigan Public Service Commission voted unanimously to approve DTE's contracts with Google. The approval came with conditions, per Planet Detroit and Michigan Advance. Bridge Michigan reported that Google's role was announced on March 17, along with a DTE deal to supply the site. The October 1 vote was the state's first hyperscale data center decision made in a contested case, which allows formal hearings. In December 2025, the commission approved DTE contracts for a 1.4-gigawatt Oracle and OpenAI data center in Saline Township. That case used a faster process.

The Google contract runs 20 years. Google must pay for at least 80% of the power it says it needs, even if it uses less. If Google ends the contract early, it must pay at least 15 years of those minimum monthly charges. Google also pays DTE to build up to 1,600 megawatts of renewable energy and 480 megawatts of battery storage. Service is expected to start in December 2027, with full load by December 2028.

Attorney General Dana Nessel asked for a 90% minimum in an August 3 brief. She argued that other customers could be at risk if the center uses less power than forecast or shuts down early. DTE spokesperson Ryan Lowry said Google will pay the full cost of powering the center. Katie Duckworth is an attorney with the Environmental Law and Policy Center. She told Planet Detroit that DTE plans 2.1 gigawatts of new gas plants, at about $6.4 billion. Under current cost rules, she said, that could raise costs for home customers. DTE projects nearly $1.7 billion in benefits to customers.

Taxes and Payments

On October 1, the Wayne County Commission overrode County Executive Warren Evans' veto of a tax break. CBS Detroit reported the vote as 13-0, with two members absent. Michigan Advance said the exemption saves Google more than $125 million. Bridge Michigan described it as half-price local taxes worth an estimated $125 million over 12 years.

The township board also acted in June. Its minutes record motions to approve a memorandum of understanding (a written agreement) with Google and to create Industrial Development District No. 27. They also record two tax exemptions for Google LLC, one for buildings and one for equipment. These are Michigan tax breaks that lower property taxes on new industrial property. The minutes say each motion carried and give no vote counts. Twenty-four people spoke at the hearing on those items, and 18 people spoke in public comment.

Bridge Michigan reported that Google will pay the township $15.4 million for local infrastructure and guarantees at least 51 full-time jobs. Panattoni's Adam Kramer said the site will employ 50 to 200 people. Bridge also reported that a 2024 state law exempts qualifying data centers from the 6% sales and use tax. Lawmakers are weighing bills that range from tighter rules to repeal of those breaks.

Noise, Water and Land

The township's zoning limit is 67 decibels. Kimley-Horn wrote the noise study, and the developer submitted it to the township. Fishbeck, the township's consultant, hired Soundscape Engineering to review it. Soundscape concluded that the study shows the project meets the 67-decibel limit during normal and maintenance operations. It also raised problems. One concerns backup generators:

"We have not seen any clauses in the ordinances that exempt backup generators from the noise ordinance. The Township should advise if operations during power outages are exempt."

The study had left out emergency operations, saying the township does not enforce noise limits on emergency work. Soundscape also said the survey of existing noise ran only 24 hours and included one weekday night. It said project sound at peak cooling load is about 8 to 14 decibels above measured evening and night levels. It noted that the plan uses 59 chillers. Chillers can make a steady tone that bothers neighbors. Josh Capps of Panattoni told Planet Detroit the loudest readings would be 62.1 decibels to the south and 59.7 to the east. Planet Detroit reported that the study calls for two 40-foot noise walls.

The campus will use 2 million to 3.6 million gallons of water a day. It buys the water from the township. The township buys from the Great Lakes Water Authority. Two buildings use closed-loop cooling and one uses open-loop cooling, which uses more water. In its minutes, the township board added a condition to the development agreement. It bars groundwater wells and bars discharge of sewage or cooling tower wastewater anywhere except the township sewer.

Michigan Advance reported that the project will permanently affect 13.55 acres of wetlands and fill 573 feet of stream. The developer will buy 20.6 acres of wetland credits in the Huron River area and build 1,174 feet of new stream channel. CBS Detroit reported that the state environmental agency issued a wetlands permit on August 19. Michigan Advance also reported that Panattoni looked at seven former industrial sites first.

Where the Public Record Disagrees

• Backup generators. Planet Detroit reported that on February 11 Capps described 156 diesel generators. In township minutes from July 29, Director Akers said an agreement before state regulators might cut generators from 150 to about 30. He said DTE would have to buy them. CBS Detroit quoted Supervisor Kevin McNamara saying generators went from 150 to 20. Planet Detroit quoted Kramer on October 19 saying the number dropped from 200 to 22.
• Size of the site. Township documents say 282.2 acres. CBS Detroit reported 230 acres.
• Building footprint. The township's August 19 review says 973,247 square feet. The township's October meeting materials, as recorded in Obedio's summary, list 973,364.
• Investment. CBS Detroit called Project Cannoli a $2 billion investment. Planet Detroit quoted Kramer saying $2 billion in contracts went to Wayne County businesses. Bridge Michigan reported no total investment figure.
• Who the noise engineer works for. Planet Detroit called Paul Kammer of Fishbeck Panattoni's engineering consultant. The township's documents describe Fishbeck as the township's consultant and Kammer as its senior civil engineer.
• The tax breaks. CBS Detroit said township officials approved $125 million in incentives in May. Township minutes show the board voting on the exemptions, and the minutes were posted in June. Michigan Advance says the county exemption saves more than $125 million. Bridge says the figure is over 12 years.

Timeline

Why It Matters for Site Selectors and Developers

The site plan vote reviewed objective standards. The land was zoned industrial, and a data center was allowed with no special permit. The larger terms were set earlier, in the development agreement, the tax votes, the Google agreement and the utility contract.

The utility contract shows what a very large customer can be asked to commit to in DTE's area. It has a 20-year term and an 80% minimum bill. Leaving early costs at least 15 years of minimum payments. Google also pays for new renewable energy and storage.

Local rules are changing for the next applicant. In Resolution 2026-18, the township put a hold on new applications for certain larger industrial projects and power plants. The hold runs until February 17, 2027. Jahr told Planet Detroit he is leaning toward stricter data center zoning rules. Any new project would be reviewed under whatever rules the township adopts.

The Risks and Obstacles

• The October minutes are not available. The township's minutes for the October 14 meeting were not available for this review. The vote and the no vote come from news reports.
• A recall effort is under way. Bridge Michigan reported a recall effort aimed at the whole township board. In July, Commissioner Medina Atchinson said a recall was out.
• Power costs are disputed. Nessel wanted a 90% minimum. Duckworth says new gas plants could raise costs for other customers. DTE says customers gain.
• Neighbors object. Ashley Shukait told WCSX that crews work behind her home from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., six or seven days a week, and that dust has entered homes since August.
• Some reviews were still open in June. Michigan Advance listed reviews by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The reports reviewed here do not say whether they are finished.

What to Watch

• The November 5 state regulator meeting. DTE also proposes gas plants of 700 megawatts in Milan Township and 1,400 megawatts in Handy Township.
• Whether the township adopts stricter data center zoning before the pause ends on February 17, 2027.
• Utility work in eight phases. Early phases run through the end of 2026 and the last phases start in March 2027, per WCSX.
• The recall effort against the township board.
• Whether power starts in December 2027, as the state regulator's order expects.

This article is factual background and is not legal, financial, or investment advice.