Village of Grafton puts 5-year halt on data center development
The Grafton Village Council has enacted a five-year moratorium on data center development, citing community polling and the mayor's recommendation to protect the village's identity. This local action coincides with multiple legislative efforts at the Ohio state level, including proposed bills concerning data center electricity agreements, water infrastructure costs, and a constitutional amendment.
The Grafton Village Council in Ohio has enacted a five-year moratorium on data center development following community polling and a mayoral recommendation. The decision, made at a May 19 council meeting, aims to preserve Grafton's small-town identity while ensuring responsible growth and resident input. This ordinance will prevent any new data center construction in the village for the next half-decade.
This local action comes amidst broader state-level debate and legislative efforts across Ohio regarding data centers. In March, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost approved the title and summary for a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit data center construction. Additionally, Ohio lawmakers recently announced the creation of the Ohio Joint Data Center Committee, tasked with studying and discussing these facilities.
Several bills targeting data center operations are also progressing through the state legislature. House Bill 706 has been introduced to impose requirements on data centers' agreements with electric utility companies. Senate Bill 378 seeks to hold data centers responsible for any infrastructure costs incurred by water and sewer systems due to their operations. Furthermore, House Bill 646, which proposes the creation of a Data Center Study Commission, has passed the House and is currently under review in a Senate committee. Ohio Senate Democrats have also advocated for bipartisan legislation addressing data center concerns.