Hancock County commissioners say zoning, not county statute, limits moratoriums on data centers; Regional Planning pursues countywide land‑use plan grant

At the March 26 Hancock County Board of Commissioners meeting, a discussion of economic development and data centers centered on who has authority to regulate or restrict data-center development.

Meeting participant Deb Stacy asked whether the county commissioners could play a larger role in economic development, saying commissioners and township trustees seemed to lack information. Commissioner William Bateson said commissioners do serve on the Economic Development Advisory Board, and the group discussed utilities, annexations, revenue-sharing plans and past township experiences with economic development.

Commissioner Jeffrey Hunker said Regional Planning is applying for grant funds to support creation of a Hancock County-wide land‑use plan. Such a plan, he implied, could provide a coordinated framework for development decisions countywide.

Commissioner Timothy Bechtol stated that "there is no state statute that allows the commissioners to enact a county wide moratorium on data centers," and described moratorium authority as a function of zoning. He noted that townships, villages and the City of Findlay may have the ability to adopt moratoriums under their zoning authorities. The transcript does not cite a specific statute.

The discussion recorded no formal directive to seek a moratorium at the county level; commissioners described existing limits on county authority and flagged planning work by Regional Planning as a next step that could shape future tools and policies.

The meeting proceeded to other business after the discussion.