City of Saginaw, MI Planning Commission May 26, 2026

The City of Saginaw, MI Planning Commission held a special meeting on May 26, 2026, primarily to discuss a proposed zoning ordinance for data centers. The commission reviewed revisions to the ordinance, which clarified definitions and requirements distinguishing standalone data centers from accessory IT server rooms in businesses. Key topics included annual compliance reporting, water and wastewater usage monitoring, and utility cost responsibilities for developers. The ordinance aims to regulate principal-use data centers such as those for artificial intelligence or cryptocurrency mining, while exempting typical business IT operations. The commission planned to hold a public hearing on the ordinance in July 2026, with further informal discussions in June. Staff also noted ongoing coordination with water and wastewater departments to assess infrastructure capacity for potential data center developments, although no applications are currently pending. No motions or votes were taken during this meeting due to lack of quorum.