Windham Township Board of Trustees place moratorium on AI Data Centers

The Windham Township Board of Trustees in Portage County, Ohio, unanimously approved a moratorium on the construction of Artificial Intelligence Data Centers. This action was taken last Thursday evening at Windham Township Hall after Board of Zoning Appeals Chairwoman Becky Phillips highlighted the absence of specific zoning language to prevent their development. Trustee Rich Gano made the motion for the moratorium, which passed unanimously. The discussion around AI Data Centers was prompted by resident inquiries regarding previous discussions at a Windham Township Zoning Commission Board meeting. Trustee Dan Burns noted the Board is awaiting a response from the Portage County Regional Planning Committee (PCRPC), believing its members oppose such construction. Gano also mentioned that the PCRPC is scheduled to convene on May 13 to formally discuss the pros and cons of AI Data Centers in Portage County. Following the PCRPC meeting, the Windham Township Board will receive a recommendation and vote on whether to accept or reject it. BZA Vice Chairwoman Tricia Kendrick also indicated that the Ravenna Planning Commission had reportedly placed a similar moratorium. Trustee Brian Miller added that a proposed amendment with public comments and tightened language had been sent to Regional Planning and would be finalized after approval.