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Vermilion resident launches petition as council moves a temporary moratorium on data center development to further review
Summary
During public comment a resident announced an Ohio data-center prohibition petition; councilors noted a proposed one-year moratorium ordinance on data centers (Ordinance 2026-17) will go to a third reading and committee review, and the council approved emergency resolutions tied to grant and solar program deadlines.
A Vermilion resident told the City Council on April 6 she has begun circulating a petition to limit the size and scope of data centers in Erie and Vermilion counties, as the council moved a temporary moratorium on new data-center development to further review.
"It's a Ohio data center prohibition petition. I'm gonna be taking signatures," resident Marsha Jonas said during public comment, giving her address as 1547 Birch Street Drive and asking people to contact her after the meeting to sign. Jonas said supporters hope to put limits on the size of future data centers to prevent strain on local utilities.
Council members responded that the council already has a proposed ordinance — Ordinance 2026-17 — that would impose a temporary moratorium, and that it will be discussed at upcoming committee meetings. The council’s second reading of Ordinance 2026-17 was taken at the April 6 meeting and scheduled to a third reading and further legislative review on April 20.
Service Director Tony Valerius also asked the council to suspend the rules and pass a resolution by May 1 so the city can meet a deadline related to a 2026 solar contract/grant program; the council voted to suspend rules and to adopt emergency resolutions tied to grant timelines.
Why it matters: Data-center projects can involve large electricity and water demands and raise local infrastructure and land-use concerns. A municipal moratorium gives the city time to review statutes, ordinances and regulations before permitting new projects.
What’s next: Ordinance 2026-17 (temporary moratorium on data centers) will return for a third reading and committee consideration on April 20. Residents circulating the petition may seek to place limits on data-center development by other means.
Representative quote: "We're trying to get it on the ballot so that we can limit... the size of the data center centers that they're wanting to put in in Ohio," Jonas said.
Ending: The council took no final vote on data-center policy changes at the April 6 meeting; further committee work and the April 20 legislative meeting will set the next steps.
