Rose Hill says it cannot sustain a data center amid citizen-led effort to ban them completely
The Rose Hill City Council is reviewing a citizen petition to ban data centers, with a decision on whether to allow a public vote or pursue a legal challenge expected on October 5th. City Administrator Mark Deter suggests Rose Hill lacks the necessary infrastructure, particularly water resources, to sustain a data center, despite existing zoning regulations from 2017.
The Rose Hill City Council is currently deliberating a citizen-led petition to completely ban data centers within the community. A decision is anticipated on October 5th, where the council will determine whether to allow citizens to vote on the proposed ban or engage in a legal battle with petitioners.
Rose Hill City Administrator Mark Deter has expressed skepticism regarding the city's capacity to support a data center, deeming the possibility "hypothetical and improbable." He highlighted that while the city adopted data center regulations in 2017, prohibiting them in agricultural, residential, multi-family, and industrial zones, the remaining designated areas lack sufficient size and infrastructure. The proposed data center site falls within the county, though state law grants the city planning and zoning authority up to three miles beyond its limits.
Deter emphasized Rose Hill's limited water resources compared to communities like El Dorado, which successfully passed a data center ban after winning a lawsuit against the city. Petitioners in Rose Hill hope to replicate this success. Concurrently, the Butler County Planning and Zoning Commission plans to officially adopt new data center regulations at its first October meeting.