Rezoning request filed for 32 acres surrounding the Meta data center site
A rezoning request has been filed by Liames LLC for 32 acres of land surrounding the Meta data center site in Middleton Township, Wood County, Ohio. The parcels, owned by Meta, are sought to be rezoned from residential/agricultural to M-1 industrial for "construction logistics." The Wood County Planning Commission will consider the request on June 2, against a backdrop of prior public opposition to the data center project.
Liames LLC has submitted a rezoning request for approximately 32 acres of land adjacent to the Meta data center project currently under construction in Middleton Township, Wood County, Ohio. These 13 parcels, already owned by Meta, are located north of Route 582, bordering Ohio 25 and Mercer Road, and were previously sites for homes and a motel. The application seeks to change their zoning from residential and agricultural to M-1 industrial, citing "construction logistics" as the purpose.
The Wood County Planning Commission is scheduled to review the request on Tuesday, June 2, at 5:30 p.m. in Bowling Green. In Ohio's unincorporated areas like Middleton Township, zoning change requests involve multiple steps: initial filing with the township, review and recommendation by the county planning commission, a recommendation from the township zoning commission, and a final decision by the township trustees. If the change is approved, those in opposition have 30 days to petition for a public vote.
The upcoming meeting follows a contentious January county planning commission meeting regarding the data center project, which saw nearly 150 citizens voice concerns, at times escalating into an "angry shouting match." Consequently, the commission adopted new rules for public comment in March, requiring speakers to provide their name and address, limiting remarks to three minutes, and discouraging repetitive comments.