Piqua residents protest approved Meta data center project
Residents protested outside Piqua City Hall against a Meta data center that the Piqua City Commission has already approved. The opposition helped trigger a special recall election for three city commissioners, including the mayor, while city officials defended the project as a major economic opportunity.
Piqua residents gathered outside City Hall to protest Meta's planned data center and criticize decisions made by the Piqua City Commission. The commission has approved the project, and protesters later attended the commission meeting. City officials said they support residents' right to peacefully demonstrate while describing the data center as a major economic win for Piqua and Miami County.
Opposition to the project has led residents to collect enough petition signatures to force a special election on Nov. 3. Voters will decide whether to recall three of the commission's five members, including the mayor, and select replacements if the recalls succeed. The report also noted other regional data center activity, including Amazon projects in Sidney and Wilmington and a project pause by Urbana City Council.