Tiffin City Council approves 12-month data center moratorium

The Tiffin City Council in Ohio has unanimously enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center development within city limits, approving Resolution 2026-42 by a 6-0 vote. The measure, declared an emergency, prohibits the establishment or conversion of any structure into a data center for up to a year, or until the city completes its review of zoning rules. Councilman Aaron Jones highlighted the importance of understanding the impact of such large facilities on electricity costs for local businesses and residents. Mayor Lee Wilkinson clarified that no data center projects have been proposed in Tiffin, and City Administrator Nick Dutro stated the moratorium's purpose is to allow officials to determine how or whether to regulate these facilities through zoning. The decision comes amidst broader concerns in Ohio regarding data centers' power and water consumption, loss of agricultural land, and strain on electric infrastructure, with at least 15 Ohio municipalities having enacted moratoriums. Concurrently, the Ohio House unanimously passed House Bill 646, which would establish a 13-member Ohio Data Center Study Commission to hold public hearings and provide recommendations to the governor and General Assembly within six months. The bill is now awaiting action in the Ohio Senate.