Ohio Supreme Court Says Lordstown Can Reject Data Center Site-Plan Review
The Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that Lordstown did not have to process Bristolville 25 Developer LLC's site-plan review for four proposed data centers because the developer had not completed the required preliminary steps before the village's data-center moratorium took effect. Lordstown's moratorium was extended for 180 days and is scheduled to expire in January 2027, while regional officials say they may seek another site for the project.
The Supreme Court of Ohio unanimously ruled that the Village of Lordstown was within its rights to stop processing Bristolville 25 Developer LLC's site-plan review for a proposed four-building data center campus. The court determined that the developer had not completed the preliminary steps required to apply for a zoning permit before Lordstown adopted its data-center moratorium, so the village was not legally required to review the proposal under the earlier zoning rules.
Bristolville had argued that its October submission preserved its right to have the project considered under the pre-moratorium ordinance. Lordstown officials countered that the submission was only a site plan and not a completed zoning-permit application. The village initially adopted a ban, converted it into an 180-day moratorium, and later extended the moratorium for another 180 days through an ordinance passed July 6. Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber President and CEO Guy Coviello said the chamber would continue working with the developer and has identified other potential sites in the Mahoning Valley.