Niles city council votes to extend data center moratorium
Niles City Council extended the city’s suspension on data center permitting for another 180 days. The extension will give officials time to define data centers in the zoning code, while residents organize a possible petition to ban large data centers in the city.
Niles City Council voted to extend the city’s data center moratorium by 180 days, continuing the suspension of permitting within city limits. Councilman Aaron Johnstone said the additional time will allow Niles to establish a legal definition for data centers in its zoning code and gather public feedback.
The city has hired CodeCraft to help draft the language, and a public hearing on proposed zoning changes is scheduled for Dec. 2. Council President Doug Sollitto said some residents oppose the extension and are working with Conserve Ohio on a petition that could seek to ban data centers larger than 25 megawatts; the petition would need signatures from 10% of Niles’ registered voters to qualify for the November 2027 ballot.