Judge orders redo of Amazon data center ordinances after finding Ohio city violated rules

A federal judge has mandated that the city of Wilmington, Ohio, re-ratify ordinances pertaining to a proposed Amazon data center after ruling that three previously passed ordinances violated Ohio's open meeting laws, also known as sunshine laws.

Residents Jessica Sharp and her husband initiated a lawsuit challenging the city's handling of these ordinances. The judge's ruling prevents the city from taking further action on the data center's site plan until the flawed ordinances are properly re-enacted. Furthermore, the court ordered that the public must have unrestricted ability to speak, bring legal counsel, present expert testimony, and cross-examine applicants during future site plan approval hearings.

Sharp expressed concerns that the city might try to pass the new ordinances as an emergency measure, which would curtail the public's right to challenge the decision via petition and a public vote. She indicated that if the city pursues such a course without proper justification, residents would likely pursue further legal action. Wilmington Mayor Patrick Haley declined to comment on the judge's ruling, citing the ongoing nature of the lawsuit.