One of the largest data centers in the state of Michigan could be placed in Howell Township. 

If a proposal before Howell Township officials moves forward, approximately 1,000 acres of land could become the building site for the new project. However, the proposal is still in its very early stages. 

Data centers are often used to store the servers that hold large amounts of data and information. 

Howell resident Lauren Prebenda says she has a few concerns after hearing about the proposal to rezone the land for a new data center just in the last few days. Prebenda said she has read through the proposal, which is available on the Howell Township website. 

"They kind of just ask us to take the undisclosed company's word for it in regards to, you know, water usage and pollution and the impact on real estate prices," said Prebenda. 

The project would be a major investment in Livingston County. The land is currently owned by the Van Gilder family, who wrote in a letter to the township that considering the sale of part of their land was a significant decision. 

"But as we listened and learned, we came to see this as more than a project. It's about the future of our community," the family wrote.

Brent Earl, a Howell Township resident, said the addition of a data center could be good for the area. He said the project would bring jobs to Livingston County, both as it's being built and when the center is up and running too. 

"Data centers can be a good thing for a community if you know it's done the right way, gone through the right process and doesn't have any environmental effects, negative effects to the community," said Earl. "It sounds like the positives are financial, the data center first phase, I heard, is going to be like a billion dollars for its first phase, and you know that's a significant amount of tax revenue for our little township."

But Prebenda isn't so sure. 

"All of the shiny objects that being put before us, all of the potential benefits if you look into them, they are flimsy at best," she said. 

Township officials will discuss the proposal and allow the public to speak at a Howell Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at 3525 Byron Road in Howell. 

Although Earl and Prebenda see this project differently, they both said they hope to see the community at the meeting. 

"Here's what I would say to my friends and neighbors is listen to the folks and hear and understand the details of what the project is because we haven't had that yet, and we'll see if it's the right thing for our community," said Earl. 

"Come out, make your voices heard because this is a massive, massive deal for Livingston County," said Prebenda.