Wilmington man submits petitions to put data center regulations on November ballot
A Wilmington, Ohio resident has submitted petitions to place data center regulations on the November ballot, aiming to establish standards for data centers including noise limits, chemical disclosure, and conditional use permits. This initiative stems from a loss of trust in local officials following alleged public notice violations related to a proposed Amazon data center, which a federal judge recently addressed. The city is currently barred from moving forward on Amazon's site plan under existing ordinances due to these violations.
Quintin Koger Kidd, a Wilmington, Ohio resident, has submitted 524 signatures to the auditor's office in an effort to place data center regulations on the November ballot. The proposed ballot measure seeks to establish standards for data centers operating in Wilmington, including noise limits, chemical disclosure requirements, funding for local emergency services, and a conditional use permit process requiring public review for all new data center projects.
Koger Kidd initiated this effort due to a perceived breakdown of trust with local elected officials, claiming they withheld information from residents during zoning changes that facilitated a proposed $4 billion Amazon data center. This concern is underscored by a recent federal judge's finding of "uncontested" evidence that the City of Wilmington violated Ohio's public notice requirements, failing to inform homeowners before approving relevant ordinances. As a result, all parties have reached a tentative agreement that prevents the city from proceeding with Amazon's site plan under the existing ordinances, mandating that the city repeal, replace, or ratify the ordinances in question.
Koger Kidd needs 321 registered voter signatures to ensure the measure appears on the November ballot, and he expressed concern that the city might try to push through ordinance updates before voters can decide. The board of elections will now review the signatures.