Current Status: Ordinance 272 Is Now Law
On June 15, 2026, City Council adopted the community-drafted noise and vibration ordinance as Ordinance 272. Mason finally has objective, enforceable property-line limits on continuous noise and vibration — the standards needed to evaluate a hyperscale data center before it’s built.
The catch: the City attorney wrongly advised Council to adopt 272 and then immediately amend it — weakening the rules so a data center could sidestep regulations that would otherwise apply to building on quiet farmland. We are prepared to pursue a referendum on amendments to Ordinance 272 and seek a public vote where the applicable referendum requirements are met.
Key Dates
Ordinance 266 Adopted
City Council adopted the M-3 data center ordinance.
Petition Threshold Met
Residents completed the referendum petition drive with the required City of Mason voter signatures.
Ordinance 266 Repealed by City Council
Council rescinded the ordinance themselves rather than letting the referendum vote take place. The public never voted on it.
Noise Ordinance Filed & Submitted
Residents filed the noise and vibration ordinance with attorney-approved language, gathered verified signatures from City of Mason voters, and submitted it to City Council on June 1, 2026.
City Council Adopted Ordinance 272
Council adopted the noise and vibration ordinance as Ordinance 272. It is now Mason law — objective, enforceable noise and vibration standards are finally on the books.
Defending Ordinance 272
The City attorney is urging Council to amend and weaken 272. We are prepared to file a Referendum Petition on any amendment where the applicable referendum requirements are met. Election timing depends on the action and filing deadlines.
Why the Referendum Is Still Our Best Tool
The community has used the city ordinance referendum process to challenge local legislation. Any future referendum requires review of the particular action, eligibility and deadlines. Annexation follows a separate state process with different referendum rules. The goal hasn’t changed: enforceable standards before any data center proposal advances.
- Keep Ordinance 272’s objective property-line noise and vibration standards intact.
- Require special use review for data centers.
- Require independent water, wastewater, electrical, traffic, and environmental studies.
- Limit generator testing and require emergency response planning.
- Record binding development agreements for future owners and operators.
The Annexation Request Is Now Active
On October 7, 2026, the State Boundary Commission found Petition 26-AP-01 legally sufficient. Public comments are open while the public hearing is being arranged. The requested boundary change remains pending.
The annexation page has the current timeline, official records, email and postal submission details, and our sample letter and topics. The map explorer shows the requested land, terrain, drain corridor and neighboring parcels.
City ordinances and annexation have different rules
A city ordinance referendum does not decide a state annexation petition. Under MCL 117.9(4), an approved annexation order is not subject to that statutory referendum if 100 or fewer people lived in the approved territory when the petition was filed. See the explanation and original legal sources.
Keep participating in each process: protect enforceable local standards, submit evidence to the SBC, and check the record for any later zoning, utility or development decision.
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