ATHENS, Ohio — In a special session Saturday morning, the Athens Township Trustees voted unanimously to halt approval of zoning permits for a proposed data center along U.S. 33 for up to a year.
A New York developer has spoken with local officials about regulations on about 300 acres of land across the highway from Athens High School. The land lies in Athens and Dover townships. Dozens of local residents attended meetings of the Athens County Commissioners and the Athens Township Trustees last Tuesday, July 28. Most oppose building data centers in the county.
The trustees said they need to determine the environmental effects and land impact of a data center. Approving construction without such a review enforcing local regulations “could adversely affect the public health, safety…and general welfare” of county residents. The resolution declaring a one-year moratorium that the trustees adopted states that the pause will give the township’s Zoning Commission time to field concerns from residents and relevant agencies. The resolution can be repealed before the 12 months are up.
Trustee Steve Pierson previously told the Independent that large plots of land in Athens County, including the more than 100 acres in Dover Township, are not subject to zoning regulations or land-use restrictions. That would allow construction of a data center without local government oversight. Jack Pepper, president of the Regional Planning Commission, said fewer regulations make the area prime real estate for developers.
“There are really not a lot of guardrails in place,” Pepper told the Independent last week.
Data center developers have also eyed construction in more than 10 Ohio counties. Construction of a Japanese-backed data center campus began this March in Pike County on the site of the former Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
In a joint statement, the Athens Port Authority and the Athens County Economic Development Council announced last week that data centers are not part of their long-term plans. In the statement, the officials expressed concerns about data centers’ water and electricity demands as well as doubts about the number of permanent jobs the facilities create.
“For generations, Southeast Ohio supplied coal, timber and other natural resources that fueled growth elsewhere,” reads the July 31 statement. “That experience reminds us that not every major capital investment creates lasting prosperity. We believe that our economic development efforts should focus on building wealth that remains in the community.”
