Augusta Township AI Data Center

In Augusta Township, an agricultural and residential community south of Ann Arbor, local residents have been fighting a 1,000 acre AI data center project proposed by Thor Equities. The greenfield development required rezoning from agricultural to industrial–a rezoning which the township’s planning commission rejected, but which the board approved in July, in spite of the planning commission’s recommendation.

Local residents have been at odds with some members of the Township board.

Since then, local grassroots efforts have successfully petitioned a referendum on the board’s rezoning decision. Volunteer activists delivered nearly 1,000 signatures to the clerk, over 800 of which were formally verified. The issue of whether or not to rezone for the AI data center will now go to the ballot for voters to decide in 2026.