Madison Township rejects Trenton’s effort to annex land for hyperscale data center

Madison Township trustees unanimously rejected Trenton's petition to annex 243 acres for a hyperscale Amazon Web Services data center, citing non-compliance with Ohio law and resident concerns. Jeff Willoughby, president of the Madison Township board of trustees, stated the petition would create "islands" difficult for the township to service and contained errors in the land's legal description. He also emphasized the need for formal agreements regarding road maintenance and future annexations, noting that Trenton's negotiations had been "very difficult" and overly focused on financial transactions.

Residents of Madison Township expressed significant concerns about the potential noise, stormwater runoff, and visual impact of the planned facility. Barry Blankenship, founder of the Woodsdale and Trenton Environmental Resistance group, highlighted that Trenton City Council has been unresponsive to protesters and expressed hope that the public hearing triggered by the rejection would allow residents to voice their objections. He also noted the 3-0 vote by Madison Township trustees as a validation of their efforts.

The rejection mandates a public hearing at the Butler County Commission, offering Trenton officials an opportunity to address the objections and potentially cure deficiencies in their annexation petition. County Administrator Judi Boyko confirmed that the process allows for such corrections. Meanwhile, St. Clair Township, which controls 358 of the 600 acres Trenton seeks to annex, is also deliberating on the matter, with a decision due soon. Willoughby suggested that if annexation is ultimately denied, Amazon Web Services could directly approach Madison Township about the data center, an option not initially pursued.