Union County Townships Consider New Data Center Zoning Regulations
The Zoning & Subdivision Committee of the Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission has recommended new zoning regulations for data centers and battery storage units in several Union County townships. These proposed rules include a standard definition for data centers and a "prohibited by default" clause for undefined land uses, giving local officials more control. The recommendations now move to individual township trustees for public hearings and final action.
The Logan-Union-Champaign (LUC) Regional Planning Commission's Zoning & Subdivision Committee has advanced a set of updated zoning regulations targeting data centers and battery storage units in several Union County, Ohio, townships. At its April 9, 2026 meeting, the committee recommended a standard definition for data centers, clarifying them as businesses housing networked computers, servers, and cooling equipment for digital data management.
The proposed rules also introduce a "prohibited by default" clause, stating that any land use not explicitly defined in zoning resolutions is forbidden. This measure aims to grant local officials greater control over community development as new technologies emerge. Additionally, while definitions for "Small Off-Site Battery Energy Storage Systems" are being added, townships like Darby, Liberty, and Union are not currently listing them as permitted or conditional uses, effectively prohibiting their construction.
The committee's recommendation, with minor modifications, now proceeds to the individual township trustees of Darby, Liberty, Millcreek, Union, and Rush. These local leaders are slated to conduct their own public hearings to gather resident feedback before taking final action on the new zoning regulations.