Waterville, Whitehouse look to limit data centers
Residents in Waterville and Whitehouse submitted petitions seeking charter amendments to limit the size of data centers to 10 megawatts. Organizers say data centers could increase water and energy rates, harm the environment and alter the communities’ rural character; officials will verify the signatures before determining whether the measures go to a special election.
Residents of Waterville and Whitehouse have submitted petitions seeking to restrict future data centers through local charter amendments. The proposed amendments would cap data centers at 10 megawatts, compared with a 25-megawatt limit adopted by voters in nearby Oregon, Ohio. Supporters say the cap would limit impacts on water and electricity systems and preserve the communities’ rural character.
Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro said the city’s law director will review the petition language and send it to the elections board to verify the signatures. The Village of Whitehouse received its petition earlier, while Waterville received its filing the morning of the report. If the signatures are certified, the measures could appear on a future primary or general-election ballot, although the timing had not been determined. Conserve Ohio is also collecting signatures for proposed statewide data-center restrictions, including a state constitutional amendment establishing a 25-megawatt cap.