10/23/2026
Say NO to data centers in our county.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1WmetgAftb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The Alpena County Planning Commission is set to meet tomorrow. There may be, in part, discussion on data centers. I am unable to make the meeting, but sent this letter off this evening.
If anyone is able to attend the meeting, I encourage you to do so!
Based on research, feedback, and responses so far it will take the efforts of the county, the township, and the city TOGETHER to address data center development in the area.
💪❤️
* Please graciously ignore any typos this is the nature of grassroots advocacy. In other words, this is what happens when you work several jobs and still rally when running on fumes 😉😁
ps. Don’t forget to sign and share our petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/approve-data-center-moratorium
Dear Alpena County Planning Commission,
I am writing today in regards to the discussion beginning around data centers in the Alpena area. I am unable to make tomorrow’s meeting, however, it is very important to not table or lose momentum on this critical issue.
Based on limited comments and interpretations, many individuals at the last meeting easily discarded the topic as outside their scope of responsibility.
This would be an error.
Based on the most restrictive interpretation of the law, including Mr. Osmer’s comments, it is well within the scope of the county planning commission to create code on data centers. The caveat was the simple point that there is not a lot of county owned properties. This is irrelevant. Whether it is a shoebox or a stadium there is county property, therefore, the County planning commission can create code in regards to those properties… irrelevant of their size.
The is crucial! If the county creates a moratorium, and then educated code and foundation in the master plan, it not only addresses the multifaceted approach many data centers have on using small bits of land than larger pieces of land elsewhere, but more importantly it sets a precedence and support for the City and Township to do the same. All of this together equips The Alpena area to be the authors of their own future, rather than be at the mercy of others.
The question before the planning commission is not the code itself, or one singular interpretation of the commissions responsibility. Rather, the request from the majority of your constituents is to place a moratorium on data centers being built on county land until further research can be done. This is critical and due diligence. The significance of this issue is truly multigenerational and dynamic, and so far reaching we cannot comprehend it at this point; impacting social structure, tax law, the environment, citizen rights versus corporate rights, the strength of local code versus government domain, litigation of local governments from their constituents when a clear and present danger has been established and ignored, etc. ultimately, we are an uncharted territory, and we are asking for protection.
The county planning commission of Alpena is not being asked to have the answers, it is simply being asked to press the pause button until we at least have some.
Please enact a moratorium immediately protect your constituents, protect your home.
Sincerely,
Julie Ann Gandulla
