Waterville council votes to draft moratorium resolution on data center applications

Mayor Rich Bingham opened the Nov. 24 meeting by telling residents the city did not have a legally sufficient moratorium ordinance ready for immediate adoption and that any ordinance must comply with City of Waterville Charter requirements. He said council would prepare formal legislation and return to the Dec. 8 meeting for a vote.

The council heard consecutive public comments from residents who said data centers would threaten the city’s rural character and raised concerns about resource use and local impacts. “Studies have shown data centers are not required to report their water usage,” one resident said, adding they “can typically use up to 600,000 gallons per day.” Other speakers raised worries about around‑the‑clock noise, diesel emissions and transparency in local planning.

Councilmembers debated whether Waterville contains land suitable for large data facilities and whether the city’s existing zoning changes already offer protections. Councilmember John Rosick said the city’s recent ordinance change requires a range of conditions for data‑center applicants and “there’s enough in our code now to say to an applicant you have to…comply” before reaching the planning commission. Several members emphasized the technology and scale of data centers can vary widely and cautioned against a blanket definition that might unintentionally block smaller or future forms of facilities.

After discussion, Councilmember Wayne Wagner moved that the law director prepare a moratorium resolution “on applications for data centers and related businesses in a manner substantially similar in scope and intent to the ones passed by council on 12/09/2024 regarding car wash and storage facilities,” with the draft to be provided to council at least seven calendar days before the next regular meeting. The motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote; a recorded roll call in the transcript shows several council members voting yes and one dissent noted during the count. The mayor described the action as a directive to staff to draft formal legislation for consideration, not an immediate ban in effect tonight.

Mayor Bingham and other councilmembers also addressed concerns about disclosure after a resident asked whether the mayor had discussed potential data‑center sites with Lucas County representatives. The mayor said he had participated in informal conversations with regional brokers and county staff but characterized those as exploratory and not decisions to site facilities in Waterville. Several councilmembers said they were not aware of any concrete application to the city.

Next steps: the law director and municipal administrator will draft moratorium language reflecting points raised in the Nov. 24 discussion, and council will consider the proposed resolution at its Dec. 8 meeting. The vote taken Nov. 24 instructs staff to prepare a resolution; the moratorium itself will not take effect until (and unless) council adopts the formal ordinance.