Massillon adjusting proposed zoning rules for data centers
Massillon City Council is adjusting proposed zoning rules for data centers, delaying a final vote to review amendments that include stricter setbacks and requirements for developers to prove adequate utility capacity. This action coincides with a 60-day extension of a data center moratorium and reflects ongoing resident concerns about data center development in Stark County.
Massillon City Council has agreed to a series of amendments to proposed zoning legislation concerning data centers, consequently delaying a final vote on the new rules by at least two weeks. The changes include defining smaller-scale data centers as 100,000 square feet or less and assigning all data centers to heavy-industrial (I-2) zoning regions, eliminating light industrial (I-1) as an option. The council also increased setback requirements from residential districts to 400 feet from an earlier proposal of 200 feet.
Developers will now be required to demonstrate adequate water, electric, and wastewater capacity, along with peak noise and decibel level certifications, in their site plans prior to construction. An additional amendment allows the city's site plan review committee to revisit utility-related changes post-approval or construction, aiming to provide