Massillon City Council extends data center ban another 60 days
Massillon City Council voted 9-0 to extend a data center moratorium for another 60 days, providing more time to discuss and establish new zoning guidelines for data center facilities within the city. Discussions are ongoing regarding strict regulations for electric, water, noise, and sewer for potential developers. This comes as residents express ongoing concerns about data center developments in the broader Stark County area, including a project recently approved in Perry Township despite opposition.
The Massillon City Council unanimously voted to extend a moratorium on data center development for an additional 60 days, pushing the ban through mid-to-late August. This extension aims to allow city officials more time to finalize zoning changes and establish specific limits on data center facilities.
During the June 15 meeting, resident Jane Schultz expressed support for the pause, urging officials to consider air pollution and water usage by cooling systems associated with data centers. Council members are actively reviewing proposed zoning legislation that seeks to define data center sizes (under or over 100,000 square feet) and assign them to light-industrial (I-1) or heavy industrial (I-2) zones, respectively. There is a strong inclination to focus larger data centers on I-2 zoning, away from residential areas.
Debate on the zoning legislation, which had its second reading on June 15, is expected to continue for several weeks, with amendments slated for a June 29 work session. Key discussions have centered on implementing strict guidelines for electricity, water, noise, and sewer usage.
This local action in Massillon occurs amid broader resident concerns in Stark County regarding data center developments, including a recent project in Perry Township that received a 30-year property tax abatement despite community opposition. Another data center developer is reportedly eyeing the Massillon Technology and Energy Park, a former Republic Steel site zoned for heavy industrial use.