From Trenton to Grove City, data centers are on Ohio ballots this election
Grove City voters will decide Issue 28, a proposed charter amendment that would require community approval for large developments, including hyperscale data centers. The measure was organized by Protect Grove City amid opposition to Headwaters' planned 310-acre data center campus, while opponents argue it is overly broad and could delay other projects.
Ohio has 21 data center-related ballot measures across 18 municipalities, the most in the nation. In Grove City, Issue 28 would establish community approval requirements for large developments occupying at least 50 acres, using more than 20 megawatts of electricity or consuming more than 500,000 gallons of water daily. The measure is designed to encompass hyperscale data centers without explicitly targeting the industry.
The initiative arose after Headwaters submitted a preliminary plan for a 310-acre campus southwest of Grove City with at least six server warehouses. Residents including Patricia Spillman, Jen Belt and Karen Church formed Protect Grove City and campaigned for the measure after Grove City approved a one-year data center moratorium; Jackson Township also adopted a one-year moratorium, while Pleasant Township enacted a permanent one.
Save Grove City opposes Issue 28, arguing that its broad language could affect schools and other developments and create delays. Grove City Mayor Ike Stage and city law director Stephen J. Smith have also questioned the amendment's interpretation. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce established the opposition committee and contributed $50,000, while construction industry political action committees provided much of its roughly $145,000 in funding. The article also notes that Urbana is facing a lawsuit from a data center developer over its ban on such facilities.