Findlay and Tiffin pass 12-month data center moratoriums

Findlay, Ohio – Two cities in northwest Ohio, Findlay and Tiffin, have independently approved 12-month moratoriums on data center development. The city councils enacted these temporary bans as emergency measures during their respective meetings on Tuesday. Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn stated that the moratorium provides the city with "protection while we establish the appropriate zoning, as well as looking at any kind of local policies and procedures." This pause will allow Findlay to evaluate how data centers fit into its future development plans, particularly given the evolving nature of the technology. Approximately 30 miles east in Seneca County, Tiffin's City Council took similar action. Kyle Daugherty, a Tiffin at-large city council member, explained that the decision was made to "pump the brakes" and consider the potential impacts of data centers, including their significant consumption of power and water, strain on the electrical grid, and potential conversion of agricultural farmland. Neither city currently has data center projects proposed, but both municipalities emphasized the importance of proactively addressing the industry's growth before any specific proposals emerge. The actions taken by Findlay and Tiffin follow a trend of other communities in northwest Ohio, such as Maumee and Waterville, implementing similar moratoriums to assess the implications of data center development.