Central Ohio township pauses all new data center development after citizens express concerns

Soaring electric bills; land loss; high water usage; air & noise pollution. Those are just some of the effects of data centers. And when they’re quite literally in your backyard, many people are becoming increasingly concerned.

According to numerous studies, Central Ohio is leading the nation in data center growth. While the nation is on track for 20% growth, Central Ohio has seen a 1,800% growth just between 2020 and 2025, according to the real estate firm JLL. Columbus is the 10th largest data center market in the entire country.

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And many people are concerned about this. So much so, that a township here has placed a moratorium on the construction of any new data centers for the next nine months. 

Jerome Township Trustees unanimously agreed last month to put this pause in place. Jerome Township is near Plain City, Dublin, and Marysville.

Residents in Jerome Township who live near the Amazon data centers have publicly complained about the noise pollution, and what they called an “industrial buzz.” Not to mention, the amount of power and water data centers use drive up the costs for residential and commercial properties.

Will other cities and townships follow suit? Or will data centers themselves start backing out of their Central Ohio commitment?

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