New Franklin Council approves new law director

The New Franklin City Council recently discussed the potential implementation of a 12-month moratorium on issuing permits for data centers within the city. Councilman Kevin Powell initiated the discussion, asking if members were inclined to create such a pause, clarifying that it wouldn't prevent variances if a project were deemed desirable for the community. Council President Barry Shaffer voiced strong support for a moratorium, emphasizing that he would favor it "until [data center representatives] figure out how to provide their own energy and water that is recyclable so they are not wasting our natural resources." In contrast, Councilman Jim Cotts expressed hesitation, stating he didn't know enough about data centers to support an outright moratorium and didn't want to prematurely close doors on potential community benefits. Councilman Devin Allman suggested that any proposed moratorium language should include a requirement for a public hearing before granting a variance for a data center project. The discussion did not result in immediate action, indicating the proposal is still in its early stages of consideration.