Voters approve data center charter amendments to restrict data center size in multiple cities
Voters in Oregon, Defiance and Upper Sandusky, Ohio, approved charter amendments limiting new data centers to 25 megawatts. The restrictions appear to have ended Vantage's proposed 500-megawatt Oregon project, while Defiance separately adopted a six-month data center moratorium during its policy debate.
Voters in Oregon, Defiance and Upper Sandusky approved charter amendments imposing new limits on data center development. In Oregon, Issue 25 caps new facilities at 25 megawatts, far below the roughly 500-megawatt Vantage project proposed near Wynn and Corduroy roads. Mayor Steven Salander said Vantage has ended the project, leaving city leaders to seek other ways to generate revenue.
The measures reflect concerns about data centers' water and electricity consumption, construction traffic and environmental effects. Defiance had previously adopted a six-month moratorium while considering its own 25-megawatt limit. Mayor Mike McCann said data centers can provide benefits when properly planned, but argued that the timing was not right. The amendments were scheduled to take effect after election results were certified.