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Clark County commissioners initiate zoning text amendment to add 'Data Centers' section
Summary
The board voted unanimously to begin a comprehensive zoning text amendment (Case # ZA-2026-01) that would create a new section for data centers and modify heavy-industrial rules; commissioners said the step "begins the process" to allow the county to better regulate siting while acknowledging it cannot outright ban data centers.
The Board of Clark County Commissioners voted April 29 to begin a comprehensive zoning text amendment (Case # ZA-2026-01) that would create Section 749, titled "Data Centers," and adjust related heavy-industrial district provisions.
"This resolution begins the process that is required to be able to protect the county from data centers," Commissioner Sasha L. Rittenhouse said during the meeting, while also noting the commissioners lack authority to ban data centers outright. County legal counsel and planning staff said municipalities retain some zoning powers to regulate siting and standards.
The amendment will be initiated under ORC 303.12 and will proceed through the county's standard public-notice and review process. The commission also scheduled a related public meeting May 21 for a separate TIF consideration tied to Liberty Place Subdivision in Moorefield Township, underscoring near-term opportunities for public comment.
Why it matters: data-center projects can involve high power and water demands, increased traffic during construction and operations, and land-use impacts. Commissioners said the text amendment is intended to lay out local standards—such as setback, screening, and infrastructure expectations—rather than to substitute for state or municipal authority.
Next steps: staff will draft the amendment language and bring it through public hearings and planning reviews as required. The motion to initiate the amendment was approved unanimously and was recorded under Resolution 2026-0352.
