Perry Village residents to vote on data center development regulations
Perry Village voters in Ohio will decide in an upcoming general election whether to implement new regulations for hyperscale data centers seeking tax incentives. These proposed rules, spearheaded by the group Protect Perry and Lake Erie, include requirements for financial guarantees and noise limits. The village recently announced it would not proceed with a tax abatement proposal from developer Province Group.
Perry Village voters in Ohio are set to decide in the upcoming November 3 General Election on a ballot measure that would impose new requirements on hyperscale data center developers seeking tax incentives. The proposed legislation, championed by the group Protect Perry and Lake Erie, includes provisions for financial guarantees and noise regulations.
If approved by a majority of voters, the ordinance would apply to data centers larger than 10,000 square feet, containing over 5,000 servers, or using more than 50 megawatts of power, specifically those seeking tax abatements or special tax designations from the village. Developers would be required to place a bond in an amount equal to the projected tax revenue and salaries of 200 full-time employees over 31 years, intended to offset potential environmental issues, impacts on standard of living, or decreases in property values.
Additionally, the legislation would mandate that hyperscale data centers adhere to noise limits of 50 dBA during the day (6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and 45 dBA at night. Village Councilman John Nicely, chairman of Protect Perry and Lake Erie during the petition drive, stated that the ordinance ensures fiscal oversight and prevents developers from receiving tax abatements without positively contributing to the village.
This initiative comes after the village had been in discussions with Province Group, a California-based developer, regarding a proposed data center on the Champion Farm property that included a tax abatement plan. The village announced on July 16 that it would not proceed with Province Group's tax abatement and PILOT proposal, just nine days after the ballot measure signatures were delivered to the Lake County Elections Board.