Hubbard, Ohio, voters to decide on data center ban
Hubbard voters will decide whether to enact an outright ban on data centers after residents collected enough signatures to place the measure on the ballot. The city previously approved a 12-month data center moratorium, while council leaders have expressed interest in allowing smaller facilities but restricting large-scale projects.
Voters in Hubbard, Ohio, are set to decide whether the city should impose a permanent ban on data centers rather than continue with a temporary pause. The ballot initiative followed community concerns that Mayor had held more than a year of discussions with a data center company under a nondisclosure agreement without adopting new zoning rules or regulations.
A citizen-led data center committee collected hundreds of signatures to move the decision from city officials to voters. Hubbard Council President Mike Moog said the proposed ban was too broad and argued that regulations should target large "mega" data centers while leaving open the possibility of smaller facilities. The committee has paused its meetings until after the election and would resume work on more targeted restrictions if the ban fails. Hubbard approved a 12-month data center moratorium in June.