Aligned Data Centers to appeal Pataskala's denial of proposed center
Aligned Data Centers is appealing Pataskala City Council’s unanimous denial of a proposed 200-megawatt data center campus in the city’s corporate park. Officials and residents raised concerns about the incomplete power plan, noise, green-space impacts and the project’s financial benefits.
Aligned Data Centers has filed court documents seeking review of Pataskala City Council’s denial of its proposed 200-megawatt data center campus on 89 acres at Broad and Mink streets. The company wants the city and its planning and zoning commission to provide records from meetings concerning the proposal as part of its appeal.
The planning and zoning commission voted 5-2 to recommend rejection, and City Council later unanimously denied the project after a hearing that included roughly four hours of testimony. Residents cited noise, green-space and economic concerns, while council members said the application did not adequately explain how the facilities would be powered. Aligned proposed three data centers, sound barriers, landscaping, hydrogen-based power generation and a closed-loop cooling system, and projected tax revenue, jobs and economic-development contributions for the city.