Ashville at a Crossroads: Data Center Deal and the Threat of a Referendum

The quiet streets of Ashville, Ohio have become the backdrop for a high-stakes political showdown as the Village Council weighs a massive $102 million development deal with global data center giant EdgeConneX. As of March 16, 2026, the council is navigating the final readings of Resolution 06-2026. While the deal promises to solve the village's looming $35 million EPA-mandated infrastructure crisis, a growing contingent of residents and political activists are preparing a nuclear option: a village-wide referendum. At the heart of the debate is a proposal that would bring hyperscale data center buildings to a 195-acre site already zoned within the village. Public meetings have been standing-room only, with dozens of residents wearing red to signal their opposition. Activists, including local group Teays Valley Against Overgrowth, have voiced concerns over natural gas-powered energy facilities, noise levels, and the loss of the village's rural character. If the Council votes to approve the deal, the battle likely won't end at the council table. Political activists have publicly threatened to launch a referendum petition to put the decision on the ballot for voters. Under Ohio law, if the council passes the resolution as a non-emergency, residents have 30 days to gather enough signatures to stay the law. The Village Council is expected to take a final vote in the coming weeks, while EdgeConneX is moving forward with a public information meeting for their proposed Ashville Energy Center on April 1, 2026.