Data Center Developer to Present at Chillicothe Council Review Session
The Chillicothe City Council passed a 60-day data center moratorium, which went into effect immediately. A public review session is scheduled for September 8, 2026, where the developer, Alignment Engine, will present information about its proposed data center and circuit board manufacturing facility. Public debate leans toward opposition, with a statewide initiative also seeking to limit data center sizes.
Chillicothe City Council recently enacted a 60-day moratorium on data center development, bypassing standard review procedures and taking immediate effect. The legislation, which leverages the city's power over building permits and rezoning, aims to block construction of the controversial industry within city limits.
In response to the moratorium and public interest, the Council has scheduled a public review meeting for September 8, 2026, at Chillicothe High School. Alignment Engine, an Ohio-based company proposing to build a data center and circuit board manufacturing facility at the former Chilpaco/US Paper Mill site, has agreed to present information at this session. The meeting will also address potential changes to the Unified Development Code related to the moratorium.
Council members Jeff Creed, DeMint, McQuirt, and McKeever are facilitating the meeting to foster open discussion with the community. Daniel Griesheimer of the Chillicothe Film Commission will video-record the event and livestream portions to ensure broader public access. The moratorium was passed after a perceived lack of communication from the developer following an earlier announcement regarding the paper mill site. John Todoroki, owner of the mill site and US Paper Mill LLC, expressed pessimism about the moratorium's impact on his development plans. Public sentiment and a statewide initiative, "Conserve Ohio," indicate significant opposition to data center expansion in the region.