Petitioners launch effort to block Amazon data center in Wilmington
Petitioners in Wilmington, Ohio, are attempting to block a proposed Amazon data center by launching a referendum effort and suing to overcome legal roadblocks. This follows the Wilmington City Council's approval of ordinances allowing the 1.9 million square foot, $4 billion project, despite a previous ruling that the city violated the Open Meetings Act in earlier discussions.
Residents of Wilmington, Ohio, are launching a petition drive and legal challenge to block Amazon's proposed 1.9 million square foot, $4 billion data center at 1488 U.S. Route 68.
This opposition comes after the Wilmington City Council passed new ordinances this month to permit the data center, which would allow it in the city's Light Industrial District. These recent actions follow a judge's ruling that earlier 2025 ordinances related to the data center were legally invalid because city officials violated Ohio's Open Meetings Act by signing nondisclosure agreements with Amazon during closed executive sessions.
Petitioners aim to place a referendum on the November ballot to prevent the newly passed ordinances from taking effect. They need 1,122 valid signatures by September 30. However, the City Council passed these ordinances under emergency provisions, which typically exempt local laws from voter referendums. As a result, the petitioners are suing to challenge the emergency classification, arguing that the rezoning ordinance does not meet Ohio's legal definition of an "emergency."
A judicial ruling is pending on whether the referendum will be allowed to proceed. Despite the legal hurdles, petitioners, including the "Clinton County Residents for Responsible Development," are continuing their efforts to gather the necessary signatures from Wilmington residents.