St. Bernard approves data center moratorium; Ivorydale proposal could still happen
St. Bernard Village Council unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments to study their impact on local infrastructure and zoning. However, a proposed data center by CAI Investments LLC at the former Ivorydale facility will still proceed with a zoning hearing because its application predates the moratorium. Residents have voiced concerns about the project's potential effects on electricity bills, the environment, and noise.
The St. Bernard Village Council in Ohio unanimously voted to approve a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments within the community. The pause, effective immediately, will allow village officials to assess the impact of these facilities on infrastructure, utility capacity, and zoning laws, and to consider potential new regulations. The decision comes amidst concerns raised by residents, including Danielle Mitsch, regarding increased electric bills, environmental effects, and noise.
Despite the moratorium, a specific data center proposal by CAI Investments LLC for the vacant St. Bernard Soap Company property (formerly part of Procter & Gamble's Ivorydale facility) will still be reviewed. Director of Public Safety and Service Mark Wendling confirmed that the project will receive a hearing from the village’s Board of Zoning Appeals because its application for conditional use approval was submitted before the moratorium was enacted. Attorney Tom Breidenstein, representing CAI Investments, described the proposed 150,000-square-foot, 24-megawatt data center as a smaller project utilizing an existing, unused building, contrasting it with larger hyperscale campuses often developed in rural areas. Breidenstein previously suggested that the data center tenant might withdraw if a moratorium was approved, but he did not reiterate this at Thursday's council meeting.