St. Bernard approves 12-month moratorium on new data centers but ongoing proposal could still move forward
St. Bernard Village Council has unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments to assess their community impact. Despite the moratorium, a proposed 150,000-square-foot data center by CAI Investments at the former Ivorydale facility will still proceed with a hearing before the Board of Zoning Appeals on October 12, as its application predates the moratorium's enactment.
The village of St. Bernard, Ohio, has enacted a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments. The Village Council unanimously approved the measure last week, giving leaders time to study the potential community impacts of such facilities, according to Mark Wendling, director of public safety and service.
However, an ongoing proposal for a 150,000-square-foot data center with a 24-megawatt capacity at the former Procter & Gamble Ivorydale facility will not be affected by the moratorium. The property owner, CAI Investments, had already applied for approval before the moratorium was passed. Attorney Thomas Breidenstein, representing CAI Investments, described it as a smaller proposal compared to hyperscale campuses and stated it is the only viable project for the site in over two years of searching.
Several residents voiced strong opposition at a recent council meeting, with Danielle Mitsch expressing concerns about community health and the potential for more data centers if this one is approved. Despite these concerns, Wendling confirmed the project will still go before the Board of Zoning Appeals on October 12. Breidenstein, on the other hand, warned that the moratorium could pose a "genuine risk of foreclosure" for the property, although Wendling maintains the village sees broader potential for the site beyond a data center.