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The International Business Park in New Albany is home to more than 40 operational data centers, with many more under construction.
ST. MARYS - St. Marys city councilors introduced legislation this week to temporarily ban data centers within the city limits.
They also learned one of their fellow councilors is set to step down after just four months in the position.
Councilors heard the first reading of an emergency resolution imposing a 12-month moratorium on the establishment of, or conversion of other structures or buildings into a data center, including the development and construction of any building, structure use or change of use that would allow data centers.
The legislation came about after St. Marys resident Dakota Humphrey attended council's last regular meeting and shared his concerns a data center could be built in town.
Among his chief concerns were high water consumption, power outages and data privacy.
Humphrey is not alone, as resistance to data center proposals has risen swiftly in many communities amid high-level support for artificial intelligence, tech firms and the data centers they are building.
President Donald Trump's administration and many governors tout them as a top economic and national security priority that are essential to winning the artificial intelligence race with China.
Still, voters continue to raise concerns about the enormous amount of power data centers use, while analysts have warned of the possibility of blackouts in the mid-Atlantic grid in the coming years.
While safety service director Greg Foxhoven said a data center in St. Marys is unlikely due to a lack of available acreage, the area's water supply could be attractive to potential data center developers.
"It's very limited. Although the water supply source that we have is pretty credible, that might interest them," he said. "But the 12 months will just give us some time to do our due diligence."
State officials are following suit, as Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday announced he directed the chair of the the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause consideration of any new data center tax exemption requests while the Ohio General Assembly's Joint Data Center Committee studies the growth of data centers in Ohio.
Ohio ranks fifth in the nation for data centers, with about 200 sites, according to the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, which represents utility customers.
This includes a $500 million data center planned for Lima by Google, a $3 billion Amazon Web Services data center proposed for Sidney and a $10 billion data center being developed in Van Wert by Thor Equities.
While noting that "data centers are a critical component to today's technology-driven economy," DeWine Wednesday said "it is appropriate for the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause its consideration of new data center tax exemptions while the full impact of data center growth in Ohio is being reviewed."
St. Marys' resolution will be back for its second reading at the city council's next meeting.
Elected officials and business leaders from Van Wert County traveled to New Albany April 20 to tour the city's International Business Park, which has dozens of data centers. The visit was organized by the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corp. as Van Wert County prepares for data center development at the Megasite in Van Wert.
Also on Wednesday, councilor Erin Buchanan, 32, announced she will resign at the end of the month due to a move outside of the city limits.
Buchanan, a Republican, was sworn into her 4th Ward seat on Jan. 12.
"These past few months have been an amazing experience and this is so much fun, just speaking to everybody - specifically in the 4th Ward," she said. "But at this time, my family has purchased a home outside the of city limits, so I'll be stepping down. I want to thank everybody. May 31st will be officially my last day."
She replaced Democrat incumbent Arienne Childrey, after being elected by 69%, or 113 votes over Childrey's 50 votes, in last year's general election.
Buchanan's replacement will be appointed by the Auglaize County Republican Central Committee and serve out the remainder of her term, which ends on Dec. 31, 2027.
She is the second councilor to resign this year due to a move. Former 3rd Ward councilor Jim Christman resigned in February after moving to New Bremen.
The Republican Central Committee appointed Josephine M.F. Slater to serve the remainder of his term, which also ends at the end of 2027.
Also on Wednesday, councilors:
• passed on third reading a resolution opposing a proposed hike in the company's fixed distribution rates by $9.50 per month and requesting that PUCO deny the company's request.
The legislation was recommended by the Ohio Consumers Council.
• sent a request from Jacob McEldowney to vacate a portion of the Plum Street right-of-way on to the city planning commission.
• learned a local mission trip is planned for St. Marys next month from Derek Dunlap with Community Relief Ministry.
The organization, based in Lima, will conduct service projects throughout town for free from June 18-20. Resources and food will be offered to volunteers.
Those interested in participating, or those with service requests, can go to communityrelief.net for further information.
The council meets next at 6:30 p.m. June 8 in council chambers.
-The Associated Press contributed to this report.
