Lyon Township Residents Challenge Trustees Over Data Center Approval

In a recent township board meeting, over 50 Lyon Township residents, along with several from neighboring Milford, expressed strong opposition to the proposed "Project Flex" data center. The project, conditionally approved by the planning commission in September, plans to construct six data center buildings covering 1.8 million square feet on 172 acres in the South Hill Business Park West. ([themidwesterner.news](https://www.themidwesterner.news/2025/12/lyon-township-residents-learn-of-data-center-project-three-months-after-approval/?utm_source=openai))

 

Despite not being on the township board's agenda, the meeting saw a full house of concerned citizens. Nancy Hopkins, a resident since 1999, voiced her worries about potential noise levels reaching up to 80 decibels. She questioned the impact on health and local wildlife, stating, "I'm not looking forward to living next to a building that is just going to hum the whole entire time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week." ([wxyz.com](https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/oakland-county/lyon-township-residents-blindsided-by-ai-data-center-approval-near-homes?utm_source=openai))

 

Additional concerns included the data center's energy consumption and its effect on local utilities. Residents highlighted existing power outages and potential impacts on well water. The proximity of the data center to homes and Dolsen Elementary School was also a significant point of contention. ([wxyz.com](https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/oakland-county/lyon-township-residents-blindsided-by-ai-data-center-approval-near-homes?utm_source=openai))

 

The board did not respond individually to each concern but assured attendees that their questions would be addressed in a public information meeting scheduled for January 22 at South Lyon East High School. Supervisor John Dolan emphasized the importance of community input, stating, "It's nice to have you give us your concerns; it doesn’t happen enough." ([whmi.com](https://www.whmi.com/news/article/49440?utm_source=openai))

 

In response to the project's approval, a group named "No Data Center in Lyon Township" has organized an independent information session set for January 15, also at South Lyon East High School. ([eventbrite.com](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-data-center-info-night-tickets-1979279736974?utm_source=openai))

 

The planning commission's conditional approval requires a noise study, which has yet to be submitted by Verrus, the data center applicant. Residents continue to seek transparency and thorough evaluation of the project's potential impacts on their community. ([wxyz.com](https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/oakland-county/lyon-township-residents-blindsided-by-ai-data-center-approval-near-homes?utm_source=openai))