Oregon City Council Votes to Send Data Center Charter Amendment to November Ballot
The Oregon City Council unanimously voted to place a charter amendment on the November ballot, allowing residents to vote on limiting data center power consumption to 25 megawatts. This action stems from a community petition organized by James Davis and aims to guide expectations and restrictions for data center projects. Vantage has been identified as a potential operator, and their proposed project could require up to 500 megawatts, highlighting the potential impact of the ballot measure.
The debate surrounding data centers in Oregon, Ohio, is set to be decided by voters after the city council unanimously approved sending a charter amendment to the Board of Elections for the November ballot. This amendment would grant residents the power to vote on limiting the size of data center facilities, specifically capping their power usage at 25 megawatts.
The initiative gained momentum from a community petition spearheaded by James Davis and his wife, which garnered 2,069 signatures in just three weeks. Mayor Steven Salander emphasized that the council's vote was not an endorsement or opposition of the measure itself, but rather a decision to involve citizens in the process, aligning with principles of community engagement.
Currently, a proposed data center on 168 acres near Corduroy and Wind Roads could require up to 500 megawatts of power, significantly exceeding the proposed 25-megawatt limit. While Vantage has been identified as a potential operator, the city is still negotiating an agreement and site plan. The outcome of the November vote will determine if these plans need substantial alteration to comply with potential new restrictions.