AMERICAN TOWNSHIP, OH (WLIO) - A new data center has been proposed in American Township, but some residents are voicing their concerns.
Proposed construction includes 3 data center units with a main office building, a security office, mounding areas, 2 water basins, and an AEP substation.
On Monday night at the American Township Board of Trustees meeting, details were shared on a possible nearly 163-acre data center occupying land along Cole Street north of Bluelick Road. The identity of the company behind the proposed data center is currently unknown. Proposed construction includes 3 data center units with a main office building, a security office, mounding areas, 2 water basins, and an AEP substation. After the proposal was shared, several American Township residents addressed the board of trustees with concerns about this potential data center.
"Because it's a data center, it won't affect property values. Because it's a data center, there won't be any flooding. Because we got somebody engineering this water, we won't have any flooding... But the problem is, we won't know until it's too late," voiced one resident.
"They have HVAC systems that cool servers, or they have generators that back up the power sources and add to that noise. They have big fans; they have air conditioners needed to keep the servers from overheating, and they can produce additional noise and a whirling sound," voiced a second resident.
After the proposal was shared, several American Township residents addressed the board of trustees with concerns about this potential data center.
On Monday night, American Township Zoning Administrator Mark Bishop read off a statement from the applicant in response to possible concerns:
"The proposed data center would have very limited impact on the surrounding property owners. Once constructed, the neighboring owners will not experience significant increase in traffic, noise, or pollution," Mark Bishop, Zoning Administrator Code Enforcement Officer with American Township, shares from the applicant.
On December 11th at 7 pm, inside the American Township Administration Building, the zoning appeals board will be meeting on this matter.
