By Jennifer Eberbach | jeberbach@mlive.com
Publication Date: 2026-02-20 18:58:00
ANN ARBOR, MI – A Washtenaw County judge declined Friday a resident’s attempt to stop a planned one Data center is being built in Saline Township.
Rural resident Kathryn Householder, who lives near the Oracle OpenAI data center under construction on W. Michigan Avenue, had asked the judge to reopen a settled case and allow her to intervene.
The data center developer and property owner had connected digital data sued the community after officials rejected rezoning about 575 acres for the data center. Municipal officials followed the lawsuit changed course and decided to settle down.
In her ruling on Friday, February 20, Judge Julia Owdziej said Householder’s attempt to intervene was “futile” and “untimely.”
“She’s not done fighting yet,” said Householder’s attorney, Robby Dube.
She is also grateful for “what the community is doing to step up,” Dube said.
They are currently considering their options. This could include asking the judge for reconsideration or appealing the judge’s denial.
“I still have to…
