When a developer approached Saline Township, Michigan, with a proposal to turn 250 acres of farmland into a data center, the town board said no, citing opposition from residents. Then came the lawsuit. The developer, Related Digital, sued the town, joined by locals who planned to sell their land for the project, arguing that the rural community’s rejection was a case of exclusionary zoning in a region where no other land is zoned for industrial use. Facing a lengthy court battle, the board folded. It struck a consent agreement this month with Related Digital that clears the way for development to begin while limiting the project’s water use and securing millions of dollars for Saline Township’s fire department, public buildings and farmland preservation. The town’s leaders were not enthusiastic about the decision.

Full analysis : Data center proposals face growing opposition from towns across the US, as officials and residents raise concerns about data centers’ water and electricity use.