Xenia council approves one-year moratorium on new data centers to study zoning

The Xenia City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to impose a one-year moratorium on the establishment or commencement of data centers within the city. The ordinance, introduced and moved by Mayor Reynolds and seconded by Vice President James Crawford, pauses new applications while staff and the planning commission study zoning definitions, standards and potential regulatory responses.

Mayor Reynolds said the step is meant to be proactive. "I don't want a data center in Xenia," he said, and described the moratorium as a way for the city to examine zoning and other limits before any site changes occur. City staff and the law director emphasized that the moratorium is preventive: the law director stated that there are no pending data-center projects, confidential or public, and that staff is not currently in dialogue with any firm.

Council members who spoke in favor urged caution and more study. One council member noted ongoing state-level hearings and recommended waiting to see potential statewide policy changes; another, speaking from experience in information technology, described the wide range in scale between small hosting facilities and hyperscale centers that can consume vastly different amounts of power and land. The council discussion focused on ensuring the city has clear land-use rules should developers seek to build larger facilities.

The ordinance does not ban data centers indefinitely; instead it prohibits filing or processing applications for a year while planning staff prepares possible zoning language and standards that will first be considered by the planning commission. Officials encouraged residents with strong views to participate in planning commission meetings, where any zoning changes would begin.

The roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes from Vice President James Crawford; Councilwoman Sice; Councilman Mscavage; Councilwoman Huffman; Councilman Rubio; Mayor Reynolds; and President Smith. The moratorium takes effect according to the ordinance schedule and will return to council after the planning commission's review and any subsequent recommended ordinance language.