Coldwater officials used a rare joint meeting of the City Council, Planning Commission and Board of Public Utilities to hear an informational presentation on how cities can regulate data centers before any proposal emerges locally. Jean Hardy, an Assistant Professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Media & Information, said backlash from communities across Michigan has led some data center companies to reconsider building new facilities in the state. Hardy said some municipalities have adopted moratoriums on data center development, while others are putting in place stricter ordinances to control where and how projects can operate. He said that if Coldwater chooses the ordinance route, those rules should be incorporated into the city’s five-year plan to reduce the chance of developers exploiting loopholes. Hardy also said the effects on property values, water use and electricity demand depend largely on the size and type of the facility. Mayor Tom Kramer said during the meeting that there was no desire to bring a data center to Coldwater. No action was taken at the session, which officials described as informational only, but city officials said they will continue pursuing ordinances aimed at making the community less attractive to potential developers.