Archbold Village enacts emergency moratorium on data centers and related facilities

Archbold Village Council voted unanimously April 6 to impose a temporary, emergency moratorium on data centers, advanced manufacturing and technology storage facilities while the village conducts safety and zoning reviews.

Village Administrator Aaron Alt said the measure is intended to give the public “rest and confidence” and to allow Council time to complete necessary safety studies and consider zoning options. The resolution was presented as an emergency and, after suspension of the usual three-reading rule, went into effect immediately.

Council debate focused on the scope and legal risk of a moratorium. Councilman Mike Evans warned that a moratorium could expose the village to litigation if improperly applied. Chad Kern, citing his research, told colleagues he found moratoria have generally not been overturned when no permits were pending; Kern also said Council could change the moratorium’s timeline or rescind it later. Planning & Zoning Inspector Grant Schaffner told Council that six months would likely be sufficient “if the focused discussions happen,” but said Council must decide whether to allow conditional uses or pursue a full prohibition and which legal counsel to involve.

Resident Sarah Cromly, who had asked whether the resolution created a moratorium or merely authorized one, urged the council to conduct health and environmental impact studies and said four developments justified the moratorium: pending House Bill 646 in the Ohio Senate, a Secretary of State petition seeking a state constitutional amendment to ban large and medium data centers, a report by Richard Klein for the Citizens for Responsible Development, and marketing of Northwest Ohio by RPG as a potential data center hub. Administrator Alt confirmed the resolution, passed as an emergency, established the moratorium effective immediately.

During discussion Council members noted one parcel in the village had already been sold; Administrator Alt said Council could extend or rescind the moratorium as needed. Councilman Mike Evans asked staff to schedule a work session to maintain momentum on zoning changes and public safeguards.

The council voted 5–0 to pass RESOLUTION 2026-16 as an emergency measure. Next steps identified in the discussion included focused zoning discussions to determine whether data centers would be subject to conditional use reviews or an outright prohibition, selection of attorneys for legal review, and health and environmental impact studies recommended by public commenters.