Ohio Supreme Court asked to halt Lordstown data center freeze
Developers of a proposed data center campus in Lordstown, Ohio, have asked the Ohio Supreme Court to intervene in an ongoing legal battle against the village. The developers seek to halt the village's efforts to extend a temporary moratorium and rewrite zoning rules, which they claim are designed to block their project. Lordstown officials argue the initial application was incomplete and are considering extending the moratorium and establishing new conditional-use permits.
Developers Bristolville 25 Developer LLC and BHGH Properties LLC have petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court to intervene in their dispute with Lordstown village officials over a proposed data center campus. The developers allege the village is attempting to indefinitely delay their 133-acre project by extending a moratorium on new data center applications and creating new, restrictive zoning rules.
The conflict began in October when Bristolville submitted plans for the data center, but the application was reportedly refused by village planning and zoning administrator Kellie Bordner, citing a potential data center ban. While the village council passed and then repealed a ban, a 180-day moratorium was enacted in January to study the impact of data centers on local infrastructure, set to expire on July 4.
However, Lordstown recently announced a public hearing for June 15 to consider extending the moratorium for an additional 180 days, pushing the freeze into late 2026. Developers argue this extended delay, coupled with the village's hiring of a consultant to devise new conditional-use permit processes specifically for data centers, necessitates immediate judicial intervention. They contend that their application should be processed under the zoning rules in effect when it was originally submitted.
Lordstown officials, including village solicitor Matthew Ries, argue the initial application was incomplete, lacking essential information on stormwater management, utilities, and wetlands. The legal dispute unfolds amidst significant community opposition, with residents expressing concerns about data centers' high demands for water and electricity, potential noise pollution, and limited long-term job creation compared to traditional manufacturing.