For 18 months, Alliance won't permit new data center construction

Alliance City Council in Ohio has enacted an 18-month moratorium on new data center construction, approving the temporary ban with a 5-1 vote at its July 6 meeting. This measure was introduced to provide council members with time to study the impacts of data centers, specifically addressing concerns related to water usage, strain on power grids, noise, and potential long-term effects on neighborhoods and tax breaks. Councilman Phillip Mastroianni voted against the legislation, arguing that moratoriums hinder economic growth, while Councilwoman Jennifer Kiko was absent.

The moratorium specifically denies permits for "AI data centers" within city limits. This decision follows Mayor Andy Grove's recent disclosure that at least one company has expressed interest in developing a data center in Alliance. Additionally, the council had previously approved legislation in mid-June to restrict future data centers to I-2 industrial zones. Councilwoman Sheila Cherry, a proponent of the temporary ban, emphasized the need to protect residents, clarify facts, and amend the I-2 restrictions to incorporate conditional uses. A new subcommittee on data centers, co-led by Mastroianni and Cherry, has been formed to conduct workshops, facilitate public discussions, and develop these conditional uses, with Cherry indicating a willingness to lift the ban early if the work is completed efficiently.