Massillon City Council agrees to moratorium on data centers

Massillon City Council unanimously passed a resolution on April 6, enacting a 180-day moratorium on the development of any data centers within city limits. Councilman Mike Gregg stated the aim is to establish "thoughtful control" over the process, allowing time to potentially add new rules to the city's zoning code regarding data centers. During this period, the city will not issue any zoning, building, or other permits for new data centers. To facilitate the review of zoning recommendations, the council previously approved retaining local attorney Terry Seeberger, with up to $15,000 allocated from the city's professional services fund. This local action comes as Ohio experiences a boom in data center development, with over 100 existing and approximately 80 planned facilities, primarily around metropolitan areas, according to a University of Virginia study. Other nearby communities have taken similar steps; Plain Township trustees approved a 12-month data center moratorium in March to assess impacts on health, safety, utilities, and infrastructure. In Perry Township, residents have objected to a planned data center, citing concerns about noise, air pollution, and the strain on electricity and water supplies, despite trustees approving a property tax abatement for the project. Canton also annexed two potential data center sites from Canton Township in late 2025, which were purchased by companies with ties to data centers, though no formal announcements have been made. Separately, on April 6, Massillon City Council also approved a 10-year income tax credit for Akron-based Babcock & Wilcox, which plans to build a $90-$100 million hydrogen production plant at the Massillon Energy & Technology Park, projected to create 12-15 jobs in its first phase.