What Alliance decides on data centers will shape its future for decades
Alliance City Council is actively developing future regulations for data centers after enacting a temporary moratorium in July. The council aims to establish specific conditions for data center operations, addressing concerns about water, power, and noise. This process follows earlier legislation restricting data centers to I-2 industrial zones.
Alliance, Ohio – The Alliance City Council is undertaking a critical process to define the future of data center development within the city, following a temporary moratorium enacted in July. Council President Julie Jakmides emphasized that the decisions made will shape Alliance for decades, particularly regarding the operating conditions for data centers. The 18-month ban provides the council with time to study potential impacts and establish comprehensive rules, also forming a dedicated subcommittee and denying permits for “AI data centers” during this period.
The moratorium was preceded by legislation approved in mid-June, which restricts future data center construction to I-2 industrial zones, primarily located on the city's north side near Mahoning County. Councilwoman Sheila Cherry, who advocated for the temporary ban, aims to clarify facts and introduce conditional uses to the I-2 restrictions. The broader concerns nationally regarding data centers, including their strain on water and power grids, noise, tax breaks, and neighborhood effects, are central to the council's discussions.
Councilman Phillip Mastroianni chairs the data center subcommittee, which held its first workshop on September 1. This initial meeting focused on delegating research and information gathering across various council committees, involving outside experts and other city boards like the Shade Tree Commission and the Alliance Board of Health. The next workshop, anticipated in mid-October, will see committees report back to begin drafting specific conditions.
While the City Council sets the rules, City Zoning Inspector Shane Howard clarified that the Planning Commission holds the final authority on construction approvals. However, the commission’s decisions will be directly guided by the regulations and conditions established by the council, underscoring the council’s foundational role in determining Alliance’s data center landscape.