Fairfield County residents living data center reality
Residents in Hocking Township near Google’s data center in Lancaster say years of construction noise, bright lighting, debris and dust have disrupted their lives. Google says it is installing landscape barriers and using site-management measures to reduce visual and acoustic impacts, while residents are seeking protections such as greater setbacks.
Residents living near Google’s data center in Lancaster, Ohio, say the facility has replaced more than 100 acres of farmland and created persistent problems, including bright nighttime lighting, construction noise, debris and windblown dust. Tom and Natalie, among the affected residents, told NBC4 Columbus they rarely use their outdoor space and cannot comfortably keep their windows open because of the noise.
The data center is within Lancaster city limits, limiting Hocking Township’s ability to impose protections such as larger setbacks, residents said. Google confirmed it purchased additional property on Wilson Road near other homes and said it is building landscape barriers to provide visual and acoustic buffering while implementing site-management measures to minimize disruption from ongoing construction. The City of Lancaster had not responded to NBC4’s inquiry about additional protections at the time of the report.