Timeline of Events Related to the Solon Township Data Center

The following information was gathered using public tax records, news reporting, various public township meeting minutes, and FOIA request responses. All of this information is publicly available.

For further context, the land where the data center is being suggested is within both Solon Township and Algoma Township. The City of Cedar Springs has also been involved in the discussions. Venerly LLC is the name of the shell company officials signed an NDA with. The code name for the project is “Project Peninsula”. Consumers Energy owns land and transmission lines that run along the proposed data center site. There is documentation from EGLE that this land is contaminated with PFAS, and surrounding townships are experiencing water shortages.

This timeline is current as of August 14, 2026.

September 2022

• The Right Place received 3.6 million dollars to help spur the development of 9 placemaking projects. The City of Cedar Springs was included in this, with up to $250,000 being awarded by The Right Place to the City of Cedar Springs. The City of Cedar Springs is still listed as an Investor on The Right Place’s website as of February 2026. 

September 2023 

• 9/27/23 – The Solon Township Planning Commission met to discuss the Master Plan and discussed rezoning parts south of 17 Mile Road behind Meijer and to Algoma to Industrial and Highway Commercial. 

2024 Fiscal Year

• 2024 – The Right Place disbursed a $125,000 grant to the City of Cedar Springs. This grant paid for a pocket park at 17 N Main St in Cedar Springs. 

February 2024

• 2/25/24 – The Solon Township Planning Commission discusses Future Land Use (FLU) and shows future intent to rezone in the Master Plan, stating: “is planned to be zoned as…” This is the first step, actual rezoning is after. 

March 2024 

• 3/13/2024 – ProjectPeninsula.com domain is registered. The site has domain privacy, meaning we can’t see the owners of the domain.
• 3/22/2024 – Venerly LLC was incorporated.
• 3/26/24 – The City of Cedar Springs and the Solon Township Planning Commission have their first joint meeting in 20 years. PA 425 was discussed. Michigan’s Public Act 425 allows local governments to conditionally transfer land for economic development projects for up to 50 years. Other topics discussed include:
  • Reviewing the Master Plan that includes areas of PA 425. 
  • Cedarfield sewer capacity, including if the City has capacity for additional water and sewer. 
  • The City of Cedar Springs plan for contamination/PFAS. 
  • Agreeing to work together to find common ground.
  • “Considering 17 Mile to Algoma as commercial zoning.”
  • The City of Cedar Springs: “We only have so much land, but have infrastructure.”

April 2024 

• 4/3/24 – Solon Township Staff Meeting: Trustee Hoskins had been alerted to the fact that there may be PFAS in the area. The old sewer lagoon is the area of contamination. Some properties have been tested for PFAS, and a few show higher than normal amounts of PFAS. Kent County said that residents were notified. Solon Township was to make sure residents were aware. 

May 2024 

• 5/1/24 – At the Solon Township Staff meeting, they discussed that wells that tested positive for PFAS near the 16 Mile area and surrounding area do not appear to have received any notification from the City of Cedar Springs or the EGLE. They are going to set up a meeting with the EGLE to learn more.

June 2024 

• 6/26/24 – The Solon Township Planning Commission extended the expired 6-month moratorium on the Master Plan Evaluation. Quote from meeting minutes:
  • “16 Mile area west of Northland – good idea for Highway Commercial and Industrial due to PFAS – levels still hazard; Township Board met with EGLE representatives – not a lot of answers.”

July 2024 

• 7/8/24 – A motion was made by Hoskins at the Solon Township Board meeting to approve sending PFAS letters, motion carried unanimously. 

August 2024 

• 8/12/24 – The Solon Township Board approved sending out letters to notify residents between 16 and 17 Mile, and from Algoma East to Northland Drive of PFAS contamination. It is worth noting that the land proposed to be sold for the data center is within the area already contaminated by PFAS.

September 2024

• The State of Michigan Board of Ethics received a detailed complaint against the CEO of The Right Place, Randy Thelen. The complaint alleges a conflict of interest regarding Randy Thelen’s vote to extend taxpayer funding to Gentex, whose CEO is on The Right Place’s executive committee and helps determine Thelen’s salary. Gentex had been previously fined by the SEC. The State of Michigan Ethics Board voted unanimously to dismiss the allegations against Thelen in January 2025 with a finding of “no violation.”   

October 2024

• 10/24/24 – The Right Place contacted Cedar Springs City Manager Darla Falcon about a “company visiting next week that’s interested in some property in the Cedar Springs area.” The City Clerk Rebecca Johnson signed the NDA on behalf of Falcon the same day. Brent Case from The Right Place also requested the utility person from Cedar Springs attend the meeting.
• 10/29/24 – Cedar Springs Clerk Rebecca Johnson meets with Project Peninsula people on behalf of Darla Falcon.

December 2024

• 12/4/24 – The Solon Township Planning Commission adopted the proposed amendment to the 2018 Master Plan concerning the revision of Future Land Use. Motion was carried unanimously. 

January 2025 

• 1/22/25 – The Solon Township Planning Commission met. In regards to the Future Land Use map, they discussed that if rezoning is desired, they can start, but they don’t have to do anything. 
• The State of Michigan Ethics Board voted unanimously to dismiss the ethics allegations against CEO of The Right Place Randy Thelen with a finding of “no violation.”

February 2025 

• 2/5/25 – A motion was made at the Solon Township Staff meeting by Robert Ellick to have the Planning Commission move forward with the rezoning of 17 Mile from White Creek to Division. Motion carried 5-0. 
• 2/26/25 – The Solon Township Planning Commission discussed the Future Land Use map and if they should rezone by section or all at once. They decided on two phases – the first phase only west to Algoma. 

March 2025 

• 3/25/25 – Solon Township has a joint PA 425 meeting with the City of Cedar Springs. Rezoning Edgerton to create more commercial was discussed. “Some interest but nothing concrete yet; possible large project would generate much more traffic.” 
  • Also mentioned: water and sewer issues down White Creek, and any further plans for extension of Edgerton.
• 3/26/25 – Quote from Solon Township Planning Commission meeting minutes: “Re: PA 425 Meeting (Hoskins) Would’ve appreciated more explanation on PFAS – it affects Solon Township residents, too; not sure what was accomplished. (Sevey) Still tension; we don’t really promote, only review applications that come to us; (VandenBerg) This year better – more relaxed than last year; any way to keep 425 from coming across 131 highway? (Ellick) A lot of land available yet on east side of 131. (Gross) I only promote whomever I’m talking with at the given time. (Anielski) Perhaps consider putting in water and sewer ourselves.”

April 2025 

• 4/23/25 – The Solon Township Planning Commission discussed Ottawa County water shortage. Kent County is slowing down developing; PFAS a major concern; Rockford is not allowing water system additions. 

May 2025 

• 5/7/25 – During the Solon Township Staff meeting, a motion was made by Hoskins to move to establish a temporary moratorium, having an initial duration of six months, on Township review of all building and zoning permit applications for new development on parcels from US 131 to Algoma on the south side of 17 Mile to 2640 ft; from US 131 to Algoma on the North side of 17 Mile 1320 ft; From Algoma to Division on both North and South side of 17 Mile 330 ft, so that the Planning Commission and Board may complete their process of rezoning the parcels in that area, without the interim development of new uses that are likely to become nonconforming or which might otherwise be detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of Township residents, seconded by Stout. Motion carried 5-0.
• 5/28/25 – Rep. Outman was at the Solon Township Planning Commission meeting. The Planning Commission mentioned renewable energy facilities, PFAS/Hazardous waste materials/etc. They stated that the EGLE is not very helpful. Additional Comment: (Robert Ellick) “We cannot stop contamination from coming in but should be able to, has been happening for years; EGLE is a useless arm of government.” Zoning/Future Land Use Map Rezoning is mentioned. Hoskins was still trying to get a corrected map, and have it for the June 25th public hearing. 
• 5/29/25 – Cedar Springs City Manager Darla Falcon tells Bob Ellick that Brent Case from The Right Place will be reaching out to him regarding “a potential development for the area and would like to meet with us to discuss this more in detail.”

June 2025 

• 6/6/25 – NDA mentioned to Solon Township Board Supervisor Bob Ellick for the first time. 
• 6/9/25 – The Solon Township Board unanimously approves a motion made by Hoskins for the Supervisor Bob Elick to sign a NDA. 
• 6/9/25 – The Right Place confirms this development is not affiliated with Microsoft.
• 6/11/25 – Bob Ellick signs NDA with “Venerly LLC” company. 
• 6/12/25 – Data center project name is first introduced: “Project Peninsula” via an email invite to an in-person meeting for Introductions and Discussion at the Solon Township Hall with Bob Ellick and The Right Place.
• 6/13/25 – Solon Township Board and Planning Commission member Mark Hoskins sells the home of one of the Moore family members on Edgerton Avenue. This property would’ve been directly next to the proposed data center.
• 6/14/25 – The Right Place acknowledges that steps will need to be taken in order to accommodate the data center’s infrastructure needs.
• 6/25/25 – The agenda matter to be reviewed by the Solon Township Planning Commission included rezoning 17 Mile properties; US Highway 131 to Algoma. They revealed that the Township Board has been studying the 17 Mile corridor from 131 to Algoma.
• 6/26/25 – Land Team from Project Peninsula (Jarrett) sends updated water estimates to Brent Case from The Right Place.
  • Demand could range 250K–2M GPD depending on cooling technology utilized.
  • Developer wants 2M GPD per “region,” with 3 regions planned at the Moore’s Farm location.
  • Wastewater equals 25% of total water use, pre-treated before entering city sewer.
• 6/30/25 – Email from Brent Case at The Right Place states that the Cedarfield sewer system has had issues in the past and would not accommodate the needs of the development, nor would the EGLE likely support expanding the capacity for the company’s wastewater demand. 

July 2025 

• 7/2/25 – The Algoma Township Board discussed needing to pursue a ground water source, since Rockford and Plainfield Townships are running out of water capacity in their systems. 
• 7/9/25 – Email shows Bob Ellick of Solon Township is interested in upgrading city infrastructure systems to accommodate the data center: “The company was very pleased to hear that you’re willing to explore a potential infrastructure solution with them and the City of Cedar Springs.”
• 7/14/15 – At the Solon Township Staff meeting they decided rezoning was tabled until August. 

August 2025 

• 8/1/25 – Consumers Energy announces 1GW deal with data center in their service territory.
• 8/6/25 – Brent Case from The Right Place reveals to Darla Falcon that the 1GW data center is Project Peninsula in Solon township. Email states: “Consumers announcement was for OUR project. Shhh….”
• 8/13/25 – Email from Brent Case at The Right Place thanks Bob Ellick for his continued support of the data center project: “Thank you for your continued support on this project!”
• 8/27/25 – Solon Township Planning Commission meeting quote: “Any applications received prior to amendment implementation have to be considered under the current zoning.”

September 2025 

• 9/8/25 – At the Solon Township Staff meeting, it was mentioned that they had a meeting with Algoma Township and EGLE regarding PFAS and how it is moving and expanding. They have a map where the testing has been done. 
• 9/9/25 – Algoma Township mentions a meeting with EGLE as well. They discussed next steps for new wells and future water solutions in the Township. 
• 9/30/25 – Things are still “progressing well” for Project Peninsula according to an email from Brent Case at The Right Place.

October 2025 

• 10/1/25 – Bob Ellick of Solon Township and Brent Case from The Right Place have lunch at Nonno’s in Cedar Springs. 
• 10/13/25 – The Solon Township Board approved the Zoning Ordinance to Amend the Industrial District and Agricultural Residential District by a 4-0 vote, with Clerk Willoughby absent from the vote. The Board also approved the Zoning Ordinance to rezone 17 Mile by a 4-0 vote, with Clerk Willoughby absent from the vote.
• 10/23/25 – Developers from the Data Center company are in the area and want to meet with Bob Ellick in Solon Township. 
• 10/23/25 – Jarrett from Project Peninsula sends Darla a draft Reimbursement Agreement between the City and Venerly LLC, establishing a $20,000 escrow for engineering/legal/consulting “Project Costs” tied to extending water/sewer service.
• 10/31/25 – An engineer with Stantec named Leigh Henning emails Cedar Springs Department of Public Works Supervisor Tanya Baker introducing Stantec as the water/wastewater engineers for the “light industrial” project, noting they already met with Solon Township and Darla; requests a call.
• Neighbors spotted surveyors at the farmland for the proposed data center site.

November 2025 

• 11/17/25 – Bob Ellick has a meeting with Brent Case and Randy Thelen from The Right Place.
• 11/19/25 – Bob Ellick is introduced to the contact, Al Bacon, from Consumers Energy.
• 11/22/25 – An anonymous post in a local Facebook group warns of farmland being surveyed and the potential private farmland sale in Cedar Springs with the intention of building a data center.

December 2025 

• 12/9/25 – Algoma Township Supervisor Kevin Green spoke to several residents who are unable to get drinking water due to soil contamination. Other local water systems are at maximum capacity, new wells are difficult due to contamination issues. 
• 12/17/25 – AJ Anielski shares Solon Township millage information with data center developers. He also states that “the [data center] company” may be eligible for the 50% tax rate, and also says “when NDAs are signed” implying the board would be signing NDAs.
• 12/23/25 – Solon Township Board Supervisor Robert Ellick signed a termination of NDA, meaning he was under NDA from June – December 2025. The information he learned during the time he was under NDA is upheld for 5 years, meaning he cannot discuss anything he learned during that time until 2030. 
• 12/29/25 – Darla Falcon asks Brent Case why she received a Termination of the Single-Party NDA from Venerly LLC; Brent asks her to call him. Darla’s NDA was terminated that day.
• 12/30/25 – Solon Township Board members are invited to a meeting in person at The Right Place on January 6, 2025 to meet with the developers. The email stated that they would be discussing the rezoning required for the project and desired agreement(s) with Cedar Springs. 

January 2026 

• 1/6/26 – Solon Township Board members Bob Ellick and Mark Hoskins, and Cedar Springs City Manager Darla Falcon met in person at The Right Place with the developers. The email states that the Cedar Springs City Manager, Darla Falcon, could bring a water/wastewater engineer and commissioner to the meeting. The meeting itinerary included Waste & Wastewater, Municipal Frameworks with PA 425 Overview, Rezoning Process, Infrastructure Planning, etc. 
• 1/6/26 – The Cedar Springs Bugle posted an article stating the Solon Township board is considering a potential AI data center.
• 1/7/26 – A Consumers Energy representative spoke at the Township Staff Meeting regarding high energy usage and what that would look like for the township in the event a potential data center were proposed here in the future. 
• 1/8/26 – Fox17 News publishes an article stating that, “developers are exploring farmland in Solon Township as a potential site for a data center.” The Right Place is also named as being involved in helping technology companies explore developing data centers in West Michigan. This is most residents’ first time hearing of the project. 
• 1/8/26 – Cedar Springs Utilities’ Russ Johnson updates Cedar Springs City Manager Darla Falcon: he’s had no one-on-one contact with individuals on the project (only group calls). He privately expressed unease about the “disconnected” way the developer’s team operates. His quote:
  • “Off the record, with all of the news regarding server farms, the disconnected way they seem to be doing things (my opinion) and the gleaning of “answers” to their questions based on a basic conversation makes me a bit uneasy with these people. I hope that this smooths out soon to our benefit.”
• 1/9/26 – The “Stop Solon Township Data Center” Facebook page publishes its first post.
• 1/12/26 – The Solon Township Board stated they had not received any applications for a data center in the township, but that they had first heard about it in August 2025. (See above for the May 2025 date that Solon Township Supervisor Bob Ellick was first emailed about the project).
  • Many additional public comments were made citing concerns about but not limited to: water usage, electricity usage, traffic safety, PFAS contamination, light and sound pollution, wildlife impact, property value decrease, board transparency, etc.
  • Rich Modliszewski, a representative of Dermody, along with a representative from The Right Place were also in attendance at the meeting. 
• 1/19/26 – Email from AJ Anielski of Solon Township states that the estimated cost to build the project is $1 billion. 
• 1/26/26 – Randy Thelen from The Right Place invites a maximum of five Solon Township board members to an in-person lunch meeting at The Right Place on 1/30/26 with a number of state-elected officials, as well as officials from Gaines Township, Lowell Township, and Kent County.
• 1/28/26 – The Planning Commission unanimously agreed on a Moratorium on Data Centers for 90 days, to be passed along to the Township Board for review at the 2/9/26 meeting. 
• 1/30/26 – The Right Place in-person lunch meeting took place. Representatives from Solon, Lowell, and Gaines Townships as well as Stephen Faber from Kent County were all in attendance.

February 2026 

• 2/5/26 – Cedar Springs Councilmember Rose Powell emailed Darla Falcon and Rebecca Johnson asking, “Has Solon asked our city to supply water for a ‘possible’ data center?”
• 2/4/26 – A handful of residents attended the Solon Township Staff Meeting. There was public comment from those concerned about the Data Center, but no new information from the Township was provided. 
• 2/9/26 – Solon Township Board member Dorothy Willoughby suggested a 6 month moratorium on data centers, which passed unanimously. There was further public comment with concern for the data center, only one public comment spoke in favor of it. Bob Ellick told everyone that he did indeed “get a few sandwiches” out of the conversations with developers, and if anyone has questions for him they need to have a private meeting with him. (Remember – even though his NDA is terminated, all that he learned during that time still cannot be disclosed by him until 2030.) The board also clarified for the public that there is no distinction between what is discussed and/or passed during the monthly midday Township Staff meetings compared to the evening board meetings.
• 2/25/26 – Draft #1 of the data center zoning ordinance was presented at the Planning Commission meeting.
  • The data center zoning ordinance subcommittee was formed.
    • It includes Planning Commission members Mark Hoskins, Keith Sawade, and Rick Sevey.
  • There were many public comments from residents stating their concerns about the data center.

March 2026

• The Right Place released a survey claiming positive feedback on data centers, that had a total of 8 responses, notably only from municipality leaders. No residents were polled.
• 3/19/26 – Stop Solon Township Data Center Committee and community leaders from Lowell and Gaines sent a letter to The Right Place, asking Randy Thelen and Brent Case for a face-to-face meeting. The Right Place did not respond to the request.
• 3/25/26 – The Planning Commission was presented with Draft #2 of the data center zoning ordinance by attorney Ross Leisman. There were again many comments from the public expressing their concerns over the data center and this draft of the ordinance.
• 3/31/26 – Joint PA425 meeting between City of Cedar Springs and Solon Township notably did not mention the data center project at all.

April 2026

• 4/22/26 – Draft #3 of the data center zoning ordinance was discussed at the Planning Commission meeting.
  • SSTDC committee requested a public working meeting with the township to allow questions and answers from residents, and a more open forum than the standard meeting agenda allows.
  • SSTDC committee also shared with the Planning Commission printed copies of the list of our recommendations for future drafts of the data center zoning ordinance.
  • Many residents expressed concern about draft #3 and the data center project during public comment.

May 2026

• 5/19/26 – 3 volunteers with Stop Solon Township Data Center met with the township data center zoning ordinance subcommittee to discuss the ordinance and data center project. The township vetoed the following requests:
  • Prohibiting NDAs – They doubled down that this is the way business is done. (It is worth noting that the township has changed their opinion on this with the ban on any future NDAs that was passed in July.)
  • Requiring disclosures of conflicts of interest – They said it’s not possible to require a company to disclose this information in the application materials.
  • Requiring baseline water tests of wells within a one-mile radius – They said they can’t require this of the applicant because homeowners have the right to refuse these tests on their property. (A version of baseline testing for wells is now included in draft #5 of the data center zoning ordinance.)
  • Placing numerical limitations on water withdrawal and requiring the applicant to use municipal water and wastewater sources – They feel that requiring the applicant to use a closed loop system is enough protection against excessive water usage.
  • Requiring ongoing public report of emissions – They said they can’t require the applicant to disclose trade secrets.
• 5/27/26 – The Planning Commission shared that they were reviewing draft #5 of the data center zoning ordinance. Residents began asking if the 6 month moratorium could be extended, and many comments with recommendations for draft #5 were made.

June 2026

• 6/8/26 – Solon Township Board meeting became disorderly and the meeting had to be adjourned early.
• 6/11/26 – First Stop Solon Township Data Center bi-monthly newsletter was sent.
• 6/11/26 – SSTDC survey was shared with the community to garner responses.
• 6/24/26 – Data Center Zoning Ordinance Public Hearing
  • The public hearing was standing room only at Frost Creek Church.
  • Dozens of residents shared their many concerns regarding draft #5 of the data center zoning ordinance.
  • Many asked them to extend the moratorium while the newly introduced state legislature that would put regulations on data centers in Michigan makes its way through the legislative process.
  • The Planning Commission tabled any decision making at the meeting and sent the ordinance draft back to the data center subcommittee for further edits.

July 2026

• 7/8/26 – Petition with 569 signatures to extend the moratorium on receiving data center applications was delivered to the township.
• 7/13/26 – A variety of things occurred at this Township Board meeting:
  • The board extended the 6 month moratorium on accepting data center applications.
  • The board passed an ordinance that bans township officials from signing future NDAs.
    • Voted Yes to banning NDAs: Robert Ellick, Dorothy Willoughby, Mark Hoskins, Jon Stout
    • Voted No to banning NDAs: AJ Anielski
  • Additionally, the township signed on new special legal counsel, Michael Homier with Foster Swift Collins & Smith, to assist with future drafts of the data center zoning ordinance.
• 7/27/26 – A variety of things occurred at this Planning Commission meeting:
  • The Planning Commission and attorney Ross Leisman introduced the township’s new special counsel Michael Homier with Foster Swift Collins & Smith. Michael will be leading efforts on future drafts of the data center ordinance.
  • Public comment was a productive time of meeting attendees sharing concerns about data centers, and giving suggestions for changes to be made to the ordinance.
  • The Planning Commission agreed to table any rezoning on 17 Mile until data center discussions and ordinances are complete.
  • Several members of the Planning Commission visited data centers in recent weeks and shared more about their experience. 
• 7/28/26 – Results from the SSTDC survey were shared with the township – there were 697 survey responses.
• 7/28/26 – Consumers Energy CEO Garrick Rochow shared in their public Q2 Earnings Meeting that the 1GW data center developer (confirmed via FOIA docs to be Project Peninsula in Solon Township) is still working through local zoning processes. Consumers Energy remains publicly confident that a hyperscale data center will be coming to their service area soon, despite delays from local zoning processes.

August 2026

• 8/9/26 – SSTDC Committee sent recommendations for data center zoning ordinance draft #5 to the Planning Commission and legal representation.
• 8/26/26 – Upcoming Planning Commission meeting.

• Category: Fighting Back, Local Updates, News Roundup, Township Meetings