Trenton council tables annexation after residents urge pause on more data centers

Residents and Council members sparred over proposed annexation and economic incentives tied to data‑center development at Trenton’s July 9, 2026, City Council meeting, where Council ultimately tabled two annexation resolutions and approved separate ordinance updates.

Several residents urged Council to halt further data‑center expansion and to reconsider tax incentives. Barry Blankenship, a Trenton resident, said petition counts show “more than half of the registered voters in the City are saying they do not want another data center,” and asked the council to listen to constituents. Amy Humbert, another resident, told Council she worries the city is “putting too many eggs in one basket” by relying heavily on a data center for future revenue and suggested rebudgeting priorities rather than expanding data‑center projects.

Mayor Ryan Perry and city staff answered residents’ questions about funding and public safety. Mr. Mesisklis (staff) explained that the Trenton Square development is under a negotiated capital agreement (referred to in the meeting as an NCA) that will help pay for the new City building and that the developer would still pay taxes on land and 25% of improvements even when an improvement abatement is applied. A resident asked why a proposed data‑center improvement would receive a 75% abatement; staff said abatements are a common economic development tool and compared projected valuations to illustrate why data centers sometimes receive larger abatements.

Traffic and public‑safety concerns were repeatedly raised. Gary Embry, who said he lives near Woodsdale and Wayne Madison Road, warned that long‑standing traffic problems would worsen if development proceeds and referenced a 2000 county transportation study that identified alternatives including a bypass. Mayor Perry noted that county engineers and the developer (identified in discussion as AWS) had acknowledged road improvements would be necessary for construction and that those improvements would be addressed via Butler County engineering processes and developer funding.

Despite the public opposition, Council approved two separate items by roll call earlier in the meeting: an ordinance to update and codify portions of the city code and an ordinance approving a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement and a compensation agreement (both approved 7–0). However, the two resolutions consenting to and adopting a statement of services for the proposed 601.589 ± acre annexation (second readings) were recorded as tabled and were not voted on that night.

The meeting also included an announcement that, as part of ongoing negotiations connected with development on the annexation property, the developer had pledged to pay the full $750,000 cost of a Veterans Memorial if the project proceeds on the annexation property, a pledge Mayor Perry described as a positive contribution to the city.

The annexation items remain tabled; Council took no final vote on annexation at the July 9 meeting.