Voters in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, banned large data centers after a $900 million plan. Here is how a town of 6,600 did it, and what other places can learn.
Voters in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, have approved a ban on large data centers inside city limits. Nearly 77% voted yes on November 3. The vote followed months of pushback against a proposed $900 million data center and natural gas power plant.
The measure bars construction of data centers with an electrical demand, or peak load, above 25 megawatts. A megawatt is a unit of electric power. The rule is a charter amendment, which means it changes the city's founding rules rather than a single zoning decision.
In June, Smartland Energy proposed building on about 146 acres near the northern edge of the city. The plan included data centers and a 150-megawatt natural gas power plant. Residents asked about water supply, electricity bills and whether the city's industrial zoning rules fit a project this size. The town was also already weighing infrastructure questions tied to a new soybean processing plant.
It started when a resident shared a local newspaper story about the plan in a community Facebook group. Hundreds of people shared it. A dedicated group grew to about 700 members. Angela Huffman, a local farmer's daughter and president of the nonprofit Farm Action, helped organize. Residents went to public meetings, requested government records and pressed officials for answers.
Smartland Energy withdrew its zoning request, but kept trying to win local support, including with an information event at a church. Withdrawing did not mean the project was gone for good, so residents kept going. On July 6, the city council unanimously approved a six-month pause on data centers and related power plants. Residents had asked for 12 months.
To reach the ballot, organizers needed enough valid signatures from registered city voters. They were first told they needed 155. They turned in 301 on August 3, but officials accepted only 192. The city charter actually required 212.
With hours left before the deadline, volunteers went back out. On August 5 they submitted 50 more. Officials accepted 37, which brought the total to 229, enough to qualify.
The material does not say whether Smartland Energy will try again elsewhere or challenge the rule. Huffman also said many neighbors were uneasy about speaking publicly, a reminder that this kind of campaign can strain relationships in a small town.
If a data center is proposed near you, raise questions about power and water early, and check whether local rules let residents put the issue to a vote.
In a hand-counted 4,500-step walk, the $180 Fitbit Edge was off by 8 steps and the $800 Apple Watch Ultra 4 by 51. Both did the job well.
Read more: A $180 Fitbit counted steps more closely than an $800 Apple WatchA browser that Android Authority calls the best on Android is not in the Play Store, but it can still be installed with a few extra steps.
Read more: A top Android browser is not in the Play Store, but you can still install itA Tom's Guide poll found only 5 of 200 readers shop for AI in earbuds and headphones. Sound quality won easily, so check AI claims before you pay extra.
Read more: Few shoppers want AI in headphones, but brands keep adding it
