Miami County approves temporary moratorium on new data centers, 2–1

The Miami County Board of Commissioners voted 2–1 on May 4 to adopt a temporary moratorium on new data center development while a comprehensive ordinance is drafted. Commissioners Keith Musselman and Mark Horner voted in favor; Commissioner Brenda Weaver voted no, citing concerns about amendment timing and potential delays.

Planning staff, represented by Corey Roser, told the board current zoning "barely addresses" data centers and that the Planning Commission held a public hearing on April 8 and recommended the moratorium. Attorney Anthony Spahr, representing Digital Egg LLC, requested exceptions for small, modular data centers—describing typical modules of 4–6 MW—and proposed criteria including structures of 75,000 square feet or less, total capacity under 50 MW, air or closed-loop liquid cooling (no groundwater or surface-water discharge), no running water onsite and limiting sites to commercial/industrial zoning.

County Attorney Mark Frantz advised caution, explaining that amending an adopted ordinance to add exceptions later could require returning to the Planning Commission or additional hearings under statutory timelines; he suggested tabling any amendments for careful drafting. Commissioner Weaver said she was uncomfortable adopting exceptions that had not been publicly noticed and worried that requiring further Planning Commission review could delay the ordinance or leave gaps in regulation.

Planning staff said an ordinance to regulate data centers is expected to be drafted at the May 13 Planning Commission meeting and encouraged public comment by the Planning Commission deadline. No formal data center applications had been filed with the county at the time of the meeting.